What Do We Do Now
by momma-dar
Summary: How different would Harry be if he was taken from the Dursley's when he was 5 and raised by his real father, Severus Snape, and the rest of the Hogwarts staff. And what is the surprise that they get after they bring Harry home. Complete!
1. New Home and Surprises

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. I just like to twist things around as much as possible. Summary: How different would Harry be if he was taken from the Dursley's when he was five and raised by his father and the Hogwarts staff at the school. And what is the big shock that Severus gets after he brings Harry home.

Chapter One. New Home and Surprises

When Severus Snape walked into the Headmasters office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry he saw that the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was in a heated discussion with Arabella Figg.

"Albus, I don't care what the Ministry says; the boy is not safe there. They mistreat him, neglect him and his room is a bloody cupboard under the stairs!" Arabella yelled her face red with anger. Albus looked up and motioned for Severus to sit down.

Arabella looked at Severus and then back at Albus. "I should hardly think that there is a need for him to be here." She sneered at the potions professor.

Albus looked at Arabella and gave her a grim smile. "Ah, but I believe that he has every right to be here, especially if it has to do with Harry's welfare."

Arabella looked at Severus with hate, "Why should it matter to him if there is something wrong with Harry, he hated the Potter's."

Severus's head snapped up at the mention of Harry's name. "Albus what's wrong with Harry?" He looked at Albus who had a sad look on his face.

"I am afraid that Harry is not as safe as we would have hoped. It has been brought to my attention that he is being abused and neglected by Lily's sister and her husband." He stopped talking when he saw Severus's eyes flash dangerously in anger. "I want you to go and get Harry. Bring him back here and I will have a room set up in you quarters."

Arabella looked shocked, "You surely don't expect him to take care of a five year old do you, especially him being James and Lily's son." She asked horrified.

"I'll leave now." Severus turned walked calmly out of the office. But as soon as he was out of sight he ran for the nearest fireplace. God he hoped that Albus was exaggerating.

A few minutes later Severus apparated in front of a white house that had the number four on it, slowly walked up to the front door. Pulling out his wand he pointed it to the doorknob and whispered "Alohomora" and was rewarded with a quiet click, the door was now unlocked.

As he stepped into through the door he remembered where Arabella had said that the boy slept. He walked up to the small door and noticed that it was locked from the out side. He was seething with anger. Unlatching the door he quietly swung it open. In that tiny cupboard was a small cot with a tiny boy laying on it. Severus's breath caught in his throat when he saw the boy. He was dressed in clothes that were ten times too big and by the looks of it he had not had a bath in a long time. His raven hair fell messily over his ears and his bangs brushed his long eyelashes. Severus whispered Harry's name to wake him, but the child didn't move.

"Harry, wake up son I am going to take you home." Harry still didn't wake up. He must be a heavy sleeper he thought to himself. Severus reached down and gently shook Harry's shoulder.

Harry jumped up fear evident in his young eyes.

" Its ok Harry, I'm not going to hurt you." Severus said calmly. Harry looked at him curiously " I am going to take you home." Harry watched him intently and then nodded his head showing that he understood.

"Well were is all of your stuff?" Harry held up the small blanket that he immediately recognized as the one that he had wrapped him up in when he had handed him over  
to Albus. Severus sighed and gathered Harry up in his arms. The child hardly weighed anything at all. His anger was getting to the point of boiling over when he felt Harry snuggle closer to him. Instinctively he wrapped his arms tighter around the small boy. Severus turned and walked out of the door and with out a backwards glance he apparated to the Leaky Cauldron.

Severus carefully opened up the door to the Leaky Cauldron trying not to jar Harry. It was dark and smoky in the room and he was glad for that. He didn't want to bring a lot of attention to Harry; he needed to get him to Hogwarts as fast as he could. Walking up to Tom the bartender he glanced around to make sure that no one was listening before he spoke.

"I need to use your private Floo to get to Hogwarts. I don't want anyone to know where I am going." Severus said to the bald wizard behind the bar.

Tom looked quizzically at the small boy that Severus was carrying. He gasped when he recognized the boy.

"Come back quickly before someone sees you!"

Severus nodded his thanks and then walked to the door that was on the left hand side of the bar. He walked briskly toward the fireplace and threw some floo powder into the flames, stepped in and yelled  
"Hogwarts, Headmaster's office."

Several seconds later Severus stepped through the fireplace into Albus's small office, and thankfully Arabella had already left. He really didn't want to listen to her rude comments.  
He finally looked up at Albus who was looking at the small lump of rags that was clasped firmly at his cloak. "Ah, well I see that you were successful in rescuing young Harry. Was Arabella right?" Albus asked quietly.

"Yes, he was asleep in a horrible cupboard with these rags on instead of decent clothes, and the only thing that is his is his blanket." Severus was clearly very angry and that was not a good thing when Harry was asleep in his arms. Taking a deep breath he tried to calm down. After a few deep breaths he felt a good bit better.

"What happened to Arabella, I figured she would still be here waiting to see if I did anything to Harry on the way." Severus sneered at the thought.

"No she is not here, I told her to go home. I figured that you and Harry needed some time together." He told Severus. He went looked back at Harry. "Was he awake when you went and picked him up?"

" No he didn't wake up until I shook his shoulder. I think that Poppy should look at him. It's obvious that those Muggles didn't take care of him." Severus said with a defeated look in his eyes.

Albus noticed this, "Severus it is not your fault that you could not take care of him. It would have been too dangerous for you and especially for Harry." He said resting his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Lets take him to Poppy so she can check him." He turned and walked out the door with Severus and Harry following close behind.

When the got to the infirmary Poppy was no were in site. "Poppy, are you here?" Albus called into the empty room. He motioned for Severus to lay Harry on a bed.

Poppy hearing Albus's voice poked her head out of her office door, "Did you need me Albus?" she said her voice sounding concerned.

"Yes, we need you to give Harry here a check up." Albus said looking at the sleeping form of the young boy. Harry was curled up in a tiny ball with his small thumb in his mouth.

Poppy looked shocked at what the Headmaster said; surely he didn't mean Harry Potter. She walked quickly over to the small boy asleep on the bed.

" I'll try not to wake him up." She said as she waved her wand over the sleeping child. Her wand pulsed a light blue as she held it over Harry's body. She started from the tip of his toes and moved slowly up his body watching to make sure that the blue glow didn't change. As the wand moved up toward his stomach it turned pink, this she knew was because he wasn't getting enough nutrition. She moved further up his body and was relieved to see turn blue again. As she neared his chin it started turning a bright purple and then turned black, as she was level with his ears. At this her hand flew to her mouth. It couldn't be right. She looked quickly at Albus and then at Severus, the anguish shinning in her eyes.

"What's wrong Poppy, why did it turn black?" Severus asked trying to sound calm when he could feel the fear starting to creep into him.

She glanced down at the small boy and then back up at Severus, "He can't hear."


	2. What Happened

Disclaimer: Don't own

Chapter Two: What Happened?

Severus felt his legs give out from underneath him and he collapsed into a nearby chair. "Why can't he hear? I swear to God that if it is because those damn muggles then there is going to be hell to pay!" Severus said venomously.

Albus looked down at the sleeping child and a thought hit him, "Poppy, why did your wand black?" He knew that black meant that the injury was caused by dark magic. Could Harry's condition be a result in being hit with the Killing Curse he wondered.

Poppy understanding what the Headmaster was thinking said "My wand turning black means that his injury was an end result from the Killing Curse being cast on him. Which means that he has been like this since he was a little over a year old." She stated looking at Albus. When she looked at Severus she was surprised to see tears streaming down his face. Yes this was upsetting but for the Potions professor who was notorious for his hate of James Potter to cry for Harry Potter was incredible.

Albus followed Poppy's gaze and saw why she looked so shocked. "Severus, you could not have stopped it from happening. It is not your fault. You need to let it go, there is a little boy who undoubtedly is going to need your love and support." Albus looked back at Poppy, " Is there any way that his hearing can be corrected?"

Poppy looked down at Harry before she answered. "Over time with proper care and better nutrition there is a slight chance that he will regain some of his hearing back. But that is a very slim chance and even if he did it would not even be close to how you and I would hear." She said not wanting to get their hopes up. At this time Poppy suddenly realized something and gasped out loud.

"Albus, no one can know about this. Can you imagine how the Wizarding community would react to this? Plus they would want to send him back to his relatives seeing that they are the only family that he has left." She shuddered at thinking about how he would be treated.

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong Poppy. Harry does in fact have other family that would be more than willing to take Harry." Albus said trying not to laugh. "Isn't that right Severus."

Severus looked at Albus and rolled his eyes. " Yes I am going to take him. I imagine that you have had the house elves set up a room for him in my quarters. Now if it is all right with the two of you I would like to take my 'son' down to our quarters. It has been a long night for the both of us."

Severus looked at Poppy's open mouth and waited for her answer. She nodded her head 'yes he could take him'. Not wanting to stick around to answer any questions he bent down and scooped Harry up in his arms and walked briskly out of the Infirmary.

Poppy and Albus watched as Severus disappeared into the darkened hallway. Poppy then looked at the Headmaster who by the looks of it was trying desperately not to laugh.

"Well Albus, would you care to explain what exactly happened this evening?" she asked glaring at the esteemed Albus Dumbledore.

"Ah yes, I would tell you but I think that Severus should be the one to tell you about this 'situation'." He said refraining himself from laughing at the look on Poppy's face. " I do believe that I am going to go and look in on our dear Severus. I bid thee good night Poppy, and thank you for your help this evening."

He stood up and made his way slowly out the door. He walked slowly toward Severus's quarters. Poppy was definitely right about keeping Harry's condition a secret. Albus smiled when he remembered the blanket that Harry had clasped in his small hands when Severus laid him on the infirmary bed. It was the one that Severus had wrapped him in when he had brought him to his office on that dreadful night. A sad sigh escaped his mouth when he thought back on that night. It had been a mad house.

Ministry officials were everywhere and when they had seen Severus carrying Harry in they had jumped to conclusions, all because of that damnable mark. Cornelius Fudge had actually had the gall to accuse Severus of killing Lily and James. If only they knew the truth. But of course as ignorant as Fudge was there was no way that he would have listened to the truth. The truth isn't as black and white as people would like to think; Lily  
and James were not married.

It was a cover in order to protect Lily and Harry. Lily and Severus had been married for only one short year before it had became clear that it wasn't safe for her. Only after she had gone in hiding did they found out that she was pregnant with Harry. It was a bittersweet time for Severus, to know that he was going to be a father but knowing that he could never acknowledge his son or his wife for as long as Voldemort was on the rise. And then to have Harry ripped from his arms that night. It had been a shocking blow for Severus.

Albus had tried everything to get Harry back but the ministry was adamant that Harry stay with his 'relatives' saying that it was for the best and that only a blood relative could  
offer the kind of protection that he needed. If only they would have listened, but instead they threw Severus into Azkaban without a trial. It took him almost three months to get him released. In the end the two of them decided that it would be safer for Harry to stay with his aunt and uncle. That was until Albus found out that he was not safe there anymore.

He was at a total loss at what to do about Harry's hearing loss. If he remembered correctly he had a book on sign language somewhere, he needed to find it and make sure  
that he gave it to Severus. He also needed to call for a staff meeting; they needed to be informed about Harry and Severus as well. Albus was snapped out of his thoughts when he realized that he was standing at portrait entrance to Severus's quarters. He raised his hand and knocked on the wooden frame.

Severus had just finished getting Harry into some nightclothes and was fighting with him to go to bed when he heard someone knocking on the other side of the portrait guarding the entrance to his room. He sighed and made Harry look at and made sure that he had his attention when he pointedly said, " Stay on the bed."

Harry looked at him and frowned but nodded his head saying that he understood.

Severus stood up and walked quickly to the entrance. He yanked it open revealing Albus standing on the other side.


	3. In the darkness there is a light

Disclaimer: I think that by now you guys know that these characters are not mine. If they were I definitely would have a better computer than this. All

characters are from the wonderful mind of JK Rowling.

Here are the symbols for this chapter that you will need.

"" Talking out loud

Telepathic  
Chapter Three: In the darkness there is a light

Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway gaping Severus who looked like he had been running a marathon. He guessed that meant that Harry was awake.

"I assume that you are having some difficulties getting young Harry back to sleep?" He said chuckling.

Severus glared at the Headmaster, "He woke up when I was trying to change his clothes. And now he decides that he doesn't want to go back to sleep." He said clearly frustrated.

Albus couldn't help but to laugh out loud and this earned him another death glare from Severus. "Ah, welcome to the joys of parenthood." Albus followed Severus over to Harry's bedroom doorway to watch the child's interaction with Severus. He was surprised to see Harry sitting on the bed waiting expectantly for Severus's instructions.

Severus made sure that Harry was looking directly at him before he said anything. When he knew that Harry was paying attention to him he motioned for Harry to come to him along with saying it at the same time.

Harry watched Severus's hands and at the same time he concentrated on what the man was saying. Watching the mans mouth he saw what he was saying, "Harry, come over to me. There is someone that I want you to meet."

Harry looked over his shoulder at the old man with a very long beard and small glasses that was smiling at him.

Does this mean that I don't have to go to bed? Harry thought to himself or at least he that was what he thought.

Severus and Albus both gasped with shock, " Albus did you hear that too? Merlin please say that you did so that I know that I am not going crazy!" He turned and looked at the stunned wizard, who obviously was still in shock.

"ALBUS, did you hear me?" Severus said loudly getting the Headmasters attention.

"Yes Severus I did hear that. It would seem that there is more to our dear Harry than what we had assumed." He said his eyes twinkling like mad.  
Albus walked around Severus and kneeled in front of Harry.

Blues eyes met emerald green, Harry, can you hear me? 

Harry's eyes snapped wide open, Yes, how are you in my head? Harry thought, he was so happy that this man could talk to him. Who are you and

who is that man? Harry asked pointing to Severus.

Albus smiled gently, Harry, my name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the Headmaster of this school. And to answer your third question you are at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding. As for who was the man that got you and brought you here, I think that he would like to tell you himself.

Albus stood up and walked over to where Severus had remained standing. "He wants to know who you are. I think that after you tell him you should give him a calming potion so that he can sleep." He said to Severus quietly.

"After you get him back to bed I will be waiting for you there are some things that we need to talk about." Albus turned and walked toward his favorite chair.

Severus walked into Harry's room and sat on the bed beside the small boy.

He took a deep breath wondering how in the world he was going to tell Harry who he really was. He turned his body toward Harry so that they were face to face. He clasped Harry's small hand in his before he began to talk.

Harry, can you hear me? he asked Harry hoping that Albus was not the only one that could mind speak with Harry.

A small childish voice filled his mind. Yeah, who are you and why did you take me away from my house. Please tell me that I don't have to go back there anymore. Harry begged while his emerald eyes filled with unshed tears.

Severus gently wiped the tears away, First of all Harry, you will never have to go back and stay with them ever. Secondly what I am going to tell you is very important, I need you to listen to me carefully and let me say everything before you start asking me questions. Okay? He waited for Harry to say that he understood.

Harry sat there thinking at what the man had just said. Ok. he said simply.


	4. Explanations and Understanding

Disclaimer: You all know the drill.

A/N: I have only one thing to say. Some people think that there is no way that Harry can understand language because he was a year old when he lost his hearing. But he does understand English because of his telepathic abilities. He can hear other people's thoughts. Think of it this way, a person that is mute can understand language. Harry's thoughts are trapped in his head. He can't hear any actual sounds and there for has no idea on how to talk. The reason that he was so shocked when Dumbledore started mind speaking with him is that he had no clue that someone could do that. He also knows how to read and he knows sign language. He taught himself. Just remember, Harry is a remarkable child and is extremely intelligent. Now that is done, on with the story. Just for the sake of the story I am making it to where only Severus and Albus can mindspeak with Harry. Severus can because he his Harry's father and Albus just because he is Albus Dumbledore.

Chapter Four: Explanations and Understanding

Severus sat there on the bed beside his son wondering where he should start. Harry first of all do you understand that magic is real? He asked not knowing how much he was going to have to explain.

Harry looked at the man in the long funny black robe with an exasperated look. Magic is not real. 

Severus smiled at the boy. Ah, but it is real. As real as you and me.

Harry looked at the man straight in the eyes and folded his arms across his chest. Prove it! 

Severus laughed, Harry was definitely his son. Ok, how about I make a bunny out of that pillow. How does that sound? He saw his sons eyes light up at that. Severus pointed his wand at the pillow and said the incantation, and with a light blue flash it turned into a small gray floppy eared bunny. He watched as Harry's eyes light up and he scooped up the furry animal into his small hands and rubbed his nose against its soft fur.

That was amazing! Harry said enthusiastically.

Severus sighed there was so much that he needed to tell Harry. Harry, now that you believe that magic is real you need to know that you are also a wizard. But there is something that I want you to remember while I tell some things tonight alright? he sat there and waited to see what his son was going to say to this part of the revelation.

Ok, I understand. Harry said and sat waiting patiently for him to finish what he needed to say.

First off I need you to always remember that not all wizards or witches are good. Some are really, really bad and they do terrible things to other people. When you were first born there was a bad wizard that was hurting a lot of people. Your Mom and Dad was worried that something would happen to you so they decided that you Mom would stay with there friends while your Dad tried to find ways to get rid of the bad wizard. He looked at Harry to make sure that he was still paying attention and was surprised to see that he was watching him intently waiting for him to keep going. When you Mom and you moved in with their friend they thought that they would be safe. But the bad wizard found out where you where living and came to your house and was going to hurt you and your Mom. Your Dad found out what was going to happen so he went and tried to get help. He didn't get there fast enough. When your Dad found you the bad wizard had killed you Mom and her friend. The bad wizard had tried to kill you too but for some reason he couldn't he tried to put a spell on you but it only gave you that scar on your forehead and it bounced back on him. And then he disappeared. He stopped there making sure that Harry understood all of that. Do you understand so far? He asked.

Harry nodded wide-eyed. Why didn't my Daddy take me home with him? Didn't he love me any more? Harry said his eyes filled with tears.

Severus's own tears started to fall down his cheeks. He gathered Harry up into his arms. Harry snuggled into his robes tears where streaming down his pale cheeks as well. Severus brushed away Harry's tears. Harry your Father loves you more than life itself, but he was afraid that if he took you home with him the bad wizards followers would come after you for getting rid of there master. So he and a couple other people thought that it would be safer for you to go and stay with your aunt and uncle until you were to come to school here when you turned eleven. But when your father found out that you where not being taken care of he wanted you to be with him. He stopped to see how Harry had taken this news.

Harry sat there for a couple of minutes before he realized who this man was.  
You're my Daddy. 


	5. New Name

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine except for the ragging out of control plot bunnies.

Chapter Five: New Name

After Severus heard Harry say that he was his Daddy the tears began streaming down his face.

Don't cry Daddy. I am here now. Harry turned to face his father and put his small hands on his cheeks. I will take care of you. 

Severus started laughing, I thought that was my job, after all I am the grown up.

Harry smiled and snuggled into his father's robes feeling safe and secure for the first time in his life. His eyes slowly drifted shut and his breathing evened out. Harry was asleep.

Severus noticed that his son had fallen asleep and carefully folded the blankets down on the bed. He laid the small sleeping boy down and tucked him in. Before leaving he brushed a small kiss on his forehead and walked out of the room.

When Severus walked out of the room he wasn't surprised to see Albus sitting in the recliner beside the fire. That was the chair that he always sat in when he wanted to talk to him.

Albus looked up at the man who had walked into the room and sat down on the couch across from him. " I see that you were able to get young Harry back to sleep."

" I tried to explain things to him as best as I could. I think that he understood everything." He sighed and let his head rest in his hands. " I told him in a round about way what had happened to Lily and why they were living with James. After I told him that his 'father' was still alive, he asked me if the reason he had to live with his aunt and uncle was because his 'father' didn't want him or love him anymore. I told him that his 'father' loved him more than life itself and he looked straight at me and said 'You're my Daddy'." Tears had started streaming down his face again and he tried to furiously swipe them away. " I never thought that I would get to hear my son call me Daddy."

Albus watched Severus reaching out his hand he laid it across the younger mans. " I can see how much this means to you and I am truly sorry that I couldn't give you Harry when you first brought him here that night. I wish that I could have been more of a help." He said sadly. " Now, what I needed to talk to you about was how you wanted to go about informing the staff of your son. We also need to figure out how Harry is going to learn magic, especially when he can't say the incantations or hear how they are supposed to be said."

Severus sat there for a few moments before he said anything. "I think that the first thing that we need to do is change his name back to what it was supposed to be. And then we can tell the rest of the staff." He sat back wondering how his colleagues would take the news that there savior was the offspring of their ruthless potions professor.

"What is your sons actual name? I only knew the name that Lily and James had come up with." Albus asked wondering how the staff was going to take this revelation about the boy known as 'Harry James Potter'.

Severus looked at the aged wizard and with a wide smile across his face he said proudly, " My sons name is Daylan Alexander Snape."


	6. Shocking Revelation

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, although I like to pretend they are.

Chapter Six: A Shocking Revelation

Albus looked at the proud father and started laughing. " I never dreamed that I would ever get to see that look on your face." He said still chuckling.

Severus gave him an exasperated look, " Are you saying that I don't have a legitimate reason to be proud now?" he asked jokingly.

" How do you want to go about telling the staff of Harry's or I should say Daylan's identity and his condition. I realize that this seems like a lot to handle right now but the sooner that it is done the better." Albus told him gently.

Severus sat there wondering how in the world was he going to tell his colleagues who his son is. "Merlin, why does everything need to be so confusing? I really don't know what to say. Are you going to have the staff learn sigh language so that they will be able to talk to Daylan?" Severus sat back and ran his hand tiredly through his long silky hair.

Albus looked at Severus with his blue eyes twinkling like mad. " I think that you should just flat say that Harry Potter is your son and tell them what his name really is. They will either accept it or not. But you can't expect to please everyone now can you." He shifted in the chair so that he was sitting closer to the edge, " Yes I am going to tell the staff that they are required to learn sign language for Daylan's sake. Although I am pretty sure that Minerva already knows the basics."

"That brings up another thing that we need to talk about." Severus sighed, "How is Harry going to be able to learn magic if he can't hear how to say the spells correctly. I don't even know if he has been taught on how to use his voice." He said dejectedly, how was his son going to be able to function in this world? He wanted to make sure that his son had the best he deserved it.

Albus sat and watched the array of emotions flash across Severus's face. "I don't think that Daylan will have any difficulties with his magic, I think that he will be able to use his telepathic abilities to compensate for not hearing how to say them correctly. That is just a guess mind you. It is really hard to tell on these things." He said airily.

"How are we going to find out?" Severus asked almost afraid at what the Headmaster would say.

"I say we just give him a wand and see what happens." Albus said chuckling at Severus's expression.

"You can't be serious!" he looked at Albus and seen that damnable twinkle in his eyes. "Merlin, you are serious." He groaned. "Now we need to figure out what I am going to say at the staff meeting tomorrow."

Albus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Are you planning on telling what Daylan's former identity was? It is totally up to you I will be behind you no matter what your decision will be."

Severus sat there for the longest time before he spoke again. " They don't need to know right now except Minerva. Daylan will need a positive female figure in his life and I would trust no one but Minerva."

Albus started laughing at this statement. " I am sure that she would have never imagined that you would hold her in such high regards. If you would like to we could ask her to come down now so that you could tell her without worrying that someone would hear you."

" I think that would be a good idea. Do you think that you could explain the circumstances to Poppy? She will undoubtedly need to know the truth if she is going to his primary doctor."

Severus looked at Albus to see what his reaction was going to be at having to tell the Medi- witch, it would not be a pretty site.

"Should I put her in a full body bind before I tell her, or do you think that would be too drastic?" Albus asked with mock innocence.

Severus snorted, "Too drastic, how about too lenient." They both were still laughing when Albus went to the fireplace to call Minerva.

He threw a handful of powder in the fire and asked for "Minerva McGonagall" a few seconds later her head appeared in the fire. " Was there something that you needed Albus?" she asked the Headmaster.

"I need you to come down to Severus's chambers. There is an important matter that you need to be made aware of." Albus said calmly. Severus sat there and wondered how he should tell Minerva with out her jumping to conclusions.

"I would suggest starting at the beginning. That is usually that best course of action." He smiled, the twinkle in his eyes were back.

Severus's sneered at the Headmaster, I swear the old coot can read minds he thought furiously to himself. Now just to sit here and wait for the Head of Gryffindor house to enter the lair of the Head of Slytherins.


	7. What is it that you wanted to tell me

Disclaimer: I own none of the Harry Potter characters, though I wish that I did.

Chapter 7: What is it that you wanted to tell me?

Minerva was walking down the hall toward the dungeons. It had only been a couple of minutes since Albus had told her that she needed to go down to Severus's chambers for a private discussion. She could only guess as to what was going on. She absently rubbed her arms together in order to ward off the chill that seemed to have settled around her body. It was always rather cold down here; she couldn't understand how Severus could stand the cold temperature or the gloominess at that. She was just about ready to start down the hallway that led to Severus's private chambers when a small child ran straight into her at full speed.

"Oh child I am sorry." Minerva said apologizing to the raven-haired child as she helped him back onto his feet. Just as she was getting ready to ask the boy what his name was she heard running footsteps coming from the direction of Severus's chambers.

She glanced down the hall and saw a very rumpled looking Severus Snape and a highly amused Albus Dumbledore following slowly behind.

"Is he the reason that you had me rush down here at one o'clock in the morning?" She asked Severus as he scooped up the small boy. She smiled when she saw how hard the boy was struggling to get away. The child's shoulder length black hair fell messily into his face making it hard for Minerva to see clearly what the boy looked like, or for that matter who he looked like. She looked back up at Severus and he motioned for her to follow him down to his chambers.

Several Minutes Before

Severus was tired, only a few moments before he had been trying to get Daylan to lie back down in bed. It had seemed too easy when he had gotten back into the bed with no complaint. Not two minutes after he had turned to light he had heard Daylan creeping out of his room. When he had turned toward Daylan a childish voice whispered in his mind, I'm really not sleepy, can't I stay up with you? 

Severus had said sternly but with a caring tone. When he had looked into Daylan's eyes he saw the fire flare up in them defiantly, then he did what he had expected him to do. He had darted out the door. And then that was when the chase had started. After ten minutes of chasing a very fast five year old around his chambers hallways it was Minerva's timely arrival that had stopped them from progressing into the main corridors of Hogwarts.

Now Daylan was safely cradled in his arms as they made their way back toward his chambers with Minerva and Albus following closely behind.

When they settled back in Severus's chambers Minerva looked expectantly from Albus to Severus wait for one of them to fill her in on what was going on.

"Well are either of you going to tell me what is going on or are you going to just let me start guessing hoping that I will get it right?" Minerva asked as she folded her hands into her lap. She looked at the child that was still buried in Severus's robes but his face was still hidden from view.

Severus glanced over at Albus and seen that he was not going to get any help from him turned back to face Minerva. "This child that is in my lap is my son. His name is Daylan Alexander Snape, but I am sure that you would recognize him as a child by another name." Seeing that he had clearly confused Minerva he knew that the only way that he was going to get anything across to her was for her to see Daylan's face. He shifted Daylan's sleeping form so that his face was visible to Minerva and brushed the hair away from the infamous lightning bolt scar that would clearly identify him to her.

Minerva gasped, "Merlin's ghost that is Harry Potter! You are saying that Harry Potter is your son, that is outrageous Lily would never cheat on her husband!" she shouted loudly. Not noticing that her screaming had not affected the boy in Severus's lap.

"You are quite right that Lily would never cheat on me. And I would hope to god that she would not have cheated on me with our best friend." Severus seeing that she was slowly starting to understand what he was saying took the opportunity to finish the tale of what had truly happened and why He had gone and taken Daylan from those damn Muggles. Now he thought was the time to drop the bombshell. "There is something that you and the rest of the staff need to be made aware of about Daylan." Severus took a deep breath and wondered how Minerva was going to take this last bit of news.

" Daylan is deaf. It was caused by getting hit with the Killing Curse." He sat there waiting for some sort of pity party for his sleeping son but was surprised when Minerva started talking again.

"That's why he didn't wake up when I started shouting. Has he shown any signs of being telepathic?" She asked solemnly.

"Yes, this evening he could talk to myself and the Headmaster through mindspeech. But I don't understand, how would you have known that even Albus didn't know." Severus asked quite startled.


	8. Minerva's Secret

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and friends. Now it's your turn, repeat after me: I do not own Harry Potter and friends. Ok no that's done.

Chapter 8: Minerva's Secret

Severus sat there in obvious shock. How would Minerva know to ask if Daylan had shown any telepathic abilities? " Are you going to explain to us how you would know that?" He asked earnestly.

Minerva looked down at her hands. "Before I started teaching here I got caught up in a whirl wind romance that was doomed from the beginning. I was young and careless and did not realize that the man that I had fallen in love with was married. Not long after we started seeing each other I found out that I was pregnant, when I told him about the baby he got very angry. He told me that I was to get rid of it. No one could know that he had a bastard child out there. It would ruin his marriage and his life, he said. So I left England and went to Italy and stayed with my aunt." She paused and took another deep breath.

"When my daughter was born she was the light of my life. When she was two months old I found out that she was deaf. I thought that she would never get the chance of living in our world and I was crushed. But when Jocelyn turned three I got the shock of my life, she was telepathic. When I took her to a Mediwitch she told me that it was not that uncommon for magical children to display rare talents to compensate their disabilities. She stayed with my aunt when I came here to teach. I never told anyone that I had a daughter.

She will be thirty-one next month. She knows who her father is even if he doesn't know that she exists." She said tears streaming down her face. It was the first time in over thirty years that she had told that tale to anyone, and it was still hard to do so.

Albus looked at Minerva kindly, " If you don't think it to be too painful could you tell us who the father is. If you don't want to we would understand."

Minerva took a deep breath; she needed to tell someone the truth had been locked up for too long. "Jocelyn's father is William Malfoy, Lucius is her half-brother."

Needless to say Severus was shocked. To find out that Minerva had a daughter that was his age was one thing; it was mind blowing to find out that the woman's father was William Malfoy.

"If you thought that it would help I will contact my daughter and see if she would come and help tutor Har… Daylan so that he is up do speed with others his age." Minerva said think that she Jocelyn would probably be the best person to tutor the young boy. "I imagine that it would probably be easier for her to teach him sign language and also to help with develop his telepathic abilities." She wanted to be able to help this child as much as she was able to help her own.

Albus looked at Severus and saw that he nodded his head in ascent. " Yes Minerva I think that would be a delightful idea. I think that we could all learn from your daughter. I will arrange for secure transportation here to the school. I imagine that she would like to stay in your own quarters; I will make sure that the house-elfs prepare a room for her." Albus said the twinkle evident in his eyes.

"Thank you Minerva, you don't know how much this means to me and Daylan. I think he will benefit tremendously from your daughter being here." Severus said quietly gracing Minerva with one of his rare true smiles.

Daylan at that time decided to shift in his father's arms again trying to get comfortable. "I need to get this young man to bed. It has been a long and trying night." He said as he stood and walked toward Daylan's bedroom door. He laid his sleeping son on the bed and pulled the covers up around his small shoulders. With a flick of his wrist and a few choice words he cast a warming charm on the blankets and then he placed a small kiss on his forehead. As he was walking away Daylan's quiet voice filled his head.

I love you Daddy. He said in a sleepy voice.

Severus smiled. I love you too my sweet child, now back to sleep and I will see you in the morning. He was still in awe of his son's telepathy and it would definitely would take getting used to Daylan's voice talking to him in his head. He turned and flipped the light off as he walked out the door.


	9. To be a Good Father

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter Nine: To be a good father

Severus walked back out into his living room after laying Daylan down in his bed. He noticed that Albus was standing at the entrance door telling Minerva good night. He still couldn't get over the fact that he finally had his son back. He was going to make sure that Daylan had everything that he would ever need. His mind was still reeling with all of the information that Minerva had told him and Albus. He couldn't believe that her daughter was Lucius's half sister. Merlin it was a small world.

Albus had just walked back in to the living room and sat back down in the chair that he had been sitting in when Severus walked back in from the kitchen with a cup of tea. Accepting it graciously he took a small sip and smiled. "I see you remembered how I like my tea." He took another small sip before continuing. "Do you plan on telling Miss Jocelyn who Daylan was before you where able to get him back in your care?" Albus had a slight notion that this was going to be a very special woman in Severus's life, not just Daylan's.

Severus sighed as he sat heavily down in his chair. "I think that I will eventually tell her. I think that she will have to know everything about Daylan in order to help him as much as she can." He stared unblinkingly into the fire. "Is Daylan going to be able to take his lessons here?" He asked quietly hoping that his son would not have to be shipped off to a special school.

" I was thinking that once he has a firm grip on everything that he will be able to take lessons from the rest of the staff. I know that Minerva is qualified to teach English and Science, and if I am not mistaken I think that Filius is quite proficient in teaching math. And I am sure that you would want to introduce him to Potions as soon as you possibly can." Albus said grinning widely.

Severus couldn't contain his smile. It was true he was looking forward to teaching his son. He still was terrified of being a father, he didn't have a very good father figure growing up and he hoped that he would be able to learn from his father's mistakes. Of course having Albus as a father figure now certainly helped a lot. "I am so afraid that I will mess something up, I don't know how to be a father." He said looked up at the older man sitting across from him.

"Severus, I can assure you that you are going to be a fine father. Just think of it this way. No matter how difficult it may get and how alone you may feel, you will always have your colleagues that you can look to for help. I know that they all will be delighted in helping you with Daylan. After all it has been a long time since there has been a small child here at Hogwarts." Albus said with a knowing smile. "Now I think that I will be heading back to bed myself, I am sure that you have a lot to think about so I will bid you goodnight and I expect to see you and Daylan in the Great Hall for breakfast." Albus said as he stood and walked toward the door. Just as he was about to open the door to leave Severus's voice stopped him in mid stride.

"Thank you Albus, for letting me bring my son home." Severus said his voice think with unshed tears.

Albus smiled a small sad smile. "I just wished that he could have come home sooner."

That next morning Severus was awakened by something tugging on his shirt. He groggily opened his eyes and looked down at the child that was staring at him with wide emerald green eyes.

I'm hungry. Daylan said his childish voice timid in Severus's mind.

Severus smiled warmly at his son and then looked at his bedside clock. It read 6:30 am. Daylan, it is still too early for us to go and eat breakfast in the Great Hall with the rest of the staff. Is there anything that you would want to do in the meantime? Severus asked trying to keep from yawning. He hadn't got to sleep until sometime around 4:00.

Daylan looked shyly at the floor, Can I get in bed with you? He asked, he remembered never being let in his aunt and uncles room. Dudley always got to cuddle with his mum and dad, but he wasn't allowed to even touch them. He just hoped with all of his heart that his dad wouldn't turn him away. He needed to be hugged by his daddy; the reason that he had woken up so early wasn't because he was hungry. It was because he had that bad dream again.

The one where the red-eyed man had made a bright green light hit him in the head. He had always had that dream, ever since he could remember. It had always made him really scared. He thought that if his daddy would hold him the bad man would go away in his dreams.

Severus smiled at his son's request; he remembered that was something that he himself had always wanted as a child. He lifted up the corner of the blanket and motioned for Daylan to crawl in. Yes, you can always come to me if you need me. 

Daylan looked at his daddy hopefully, Even when I have a bad dream? 

Severus smiled and pulled his son in close. Especially if you have a bad dream. 


	10. The Bad Thing

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and friends.

Chapter Ten: The Bad Thing

Severus woke up again about an hour after Daylan had lain down with him. He glanced down at his son and smiled. Daylan was curled up in a little ball with his head tucked under his arm with his little thumb lying in his mouth.

Severus felt his heart beating in his chest and he was overcome with a surge of happiness. His son was finally home for good. Severus scooted away from Daylan slowly so that he didn't wake the sleeping child. Sitting on the edge of his bed he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Today would be the first time that the rest of the staff would get to meet his son.

They would only know him as Daylan Alexander Snape.

Minerva was the only other staff member besides Dumbledore that would know that he was once Harry Potter. It was safer this way. He hated deceiving his colleges but his son's safety was more important. He stood slowly and made his way to the bathroom, he wanted to get a quick shower before they had to be at breakfast. He turned a cast a quick alert charm on Daylan so that he would know when he woke up.

Stepping into the shower he let the hot water hit him, he could feel his muscles unclenching as the water hit his back. It was going to be a long day; he just hoped that it wouldn't be overly taxing for Daylan. He picked up the shampoo bottle and poured a liberal amount onto his hands. Massaging the shampoo through his hair he let his thoughts drift to the woman that was going to be tutoring his son. He wondered what she looked like and how Daylan would react to her.

As he was rinsing the soap out of his hair the alert charm brought him out of his musings. Daylan was waking up. Finishing up quickly he shut the tap off and stepped out of the shower. He cast a drying charm on his hair and body and shrugged on his robes.

Daddy, where are you? Severus heard Daylan's timid voice echo through his mind.

I'm in the bathroom Daylan. He sent back to Daylan. You need to come and get a bath before we go and eat up in the Great Hall. Severus stepped back into his room and saw Daylan cuddled up in the blankets.

No! I don't wanna take a bath. Daylan said with his lower lip jutting out defiantly and sliding down into the blankets further.

I can still see you. And yes, you are going to get a bath. Severus said scooping the small boy up into his arms and carrying him to the bathroom.

Can you take a bath yourself or do I need to help you? He said as he laid a clean towel on the sink.

I can take a bath all by myself. Daylan said crossing his arms across his chest.

Fine, I will be back in five minutes to check and make sure that you are clean. He leaned over the bathtub and started the water. After he made sure that the water wasn't to hot he filled it up a quarter adding a potion to the water to make it turn blue and smell of sandalwood. Seeing a good amount of bubbles filling the tub turned the tap off. Five minutes. Severus said to the small boy standing beside the tub.

Do you need help getting undressed? He knew that buttons where exceptionally difficult for little hands. Severus watched as Daylan dropped his head and nodded his head yes.

Daylan, there is no reason to feel ashamed for needing help. All little boys need help sometimes, and big people need help sometimes too. 

Daylan looked at him in amazement. Even you need help sometimes too? As if it was something extraordinary for him to need help.

Yes, even I need help sometimes. He chuckled at his son's bewildered expression on his face. Enough dawdling, into the tub. Severus reached down and helped the smaller hands unbutton the pajamas and pull them up over his head. He then took the dirty clothes and walked back out of the bathroom. Severus waited almost ten minutes before he walked back into the bathroom to check and make sure that Daylan had cleaned himself adequately. Daylan was climbing out of the tub when he opened the door.

He watched as Daylan let the water out of the tub his back to him. What he saw on his son's back made Severus see red.

Thin white lines stood out starkly against the young child's tanned skin. He couldn't even begin to count at how many there were, they ranged in length and width. He had seen these same types of scars on one of his Slytherins before. She had been the only daughter of an inner circle Deatheater. Being the youngest of three she was viewed as expendable and was often at the receiving end of her fathers violent rages. His favorite instrument for venting his anger was a leather belt with a metal buckle.

To see these same scars on his only son's back made him feel anger that he hadn't known that he possessed. Trying to calm down he turned his son to face him.

Daylan, what happened to your back? He asked slowly trying not to let his anger slip through. He watched as Daylan unconsciously took a step away from him. It broke his heart to see fear in his son's eyes, fear of punishment and rejection.

I got punished. I did the bad thing. Daylan replied fearfully, and backed himself into the corner. He slid down the wall and pulled his knees to his chest, making himself as small as possible.

Severus watched his son in shock. Daylan my boy, its ok. I'm not angry with you. He reached up grabbed the fluffy towel and held it out to the small child. Here, lets get you dried off. And then you can tell me all about what happened. 

Daylan slowly scooted over to his daddy and let him wrap him up in the warm towel. He laid his head on his daddy's shoulder and he felt himself being picked up.

Severus gave Daylan some clothes to put on and waited patiently for him to dress. He then sat down on the bed and waited for Daylan to sit with him.

When he did Severus asked the question again. What happened? 

Daylan shifted nervously beside his Daddy, what if he thought he was bad too? He didn't want to tell his Daddy that he did bad things; he didn't want to get sent away again.

Daylan, its ok I am not going to be mad at you. You can tell me anything. Severus said trying to reassure his small son.

Daylan looked up into his Daddy's eyes and seen that he was telling the truth. I got punished with the belt because I did the bad thing. Uncle Vernon thinks in his head that he has to punish me because I am evil and a freak and not normal. And when I did the bad thing he got really mad and started hitting me with his belt. This time it was with the end with the metal thing on it, it hurt so bad Daddy! Daylan started bawling at the memory of the pain and clung to his Daddy's robes hoping that he would never let go.

Shush, its ok now. He can't hurt you anymore; I'll protect you from now on. Severus held onto Daylan firmly as he rocked back in forth comforting the small boy. Daylan, what it the bad thing that you did. Can you show me? I am sure that it isn't really a bad thing; all little boy wizards do things with their magic sometimes. 

Daylan glanced up at his Daddy and decided that he would show him the bad thing. Maybe it wasn't bad after all. He climbed out of his Daddy's lap and stood on the floor in front of him. Closing his eyes he concentrated.

Severus watched as his son closed his eyes tightly and then suddenly he changed. His mouth hanging open Severus just stared. In place of his son there was a small black wolf pup with piercing emerald eyes and a faint white lightening bolt on his head.


	11. Found: One Runaway Pup

Disclaimer: Well I think that I can honestly say that I have no ownership over Harry Potter and his friends, even though he is absolutely adorable.

Chapter Eleven: Found: One Runaway Pup

Daylan watched as his Daddy sat motionless on the bed looking down at him in shock. Maybe it was really was a bad thing. He didn't want to see the rejection in his Daddy's eyes so he did the only thing that he could think to do. He ran.

Severus was shaken out of his shocked stupor when he saw his son still a wolf cub dash out of the room. He quickly ran out the door after him but Daylan was already out the door of his quarters. He needed to get to him before he got hurt.

Severus shouted out in his mind, Daylan, come back, its ok you didn't do anything wrong. He said over and over again but his son was silent. He didn't know if Daylan's telepathy carried over when he was in his animal form, then again he didn't know how close he had to be to Daylan to talk with him either. Severus ran quickly through the winding corridors not seeing his son anywhere. He was starting to panic, he knew how some of the students acted around animals, especially some of his older Slytherin students. Curse now. Ask questions later.

Just as he was getting ready to turn the corner he ran head first into Minerva.

"Goodness Severus!" Minerva said he hand clasping her robes tightly at her throat. "You nearly scared me to death! What are you doing running around like a lost first year?"

"Daylan took off after he misinterpreted my reaction to something. I don't know where he is and I need to find before one of the students sees him."

Severus said as he started walking up the corridor, Minerva was following closely behind trying to catch up.

"I am sure that if a student would see a young child running around the would take him to a professor or the headmaster. He can't get into that much trouble." Minerva replied wondering why Severus was panicking, yes it was worrisome that he had run off but nothing terrible was going to happen to him.

"The problem is that if a student or one of our colleges would find him they would not see him as a lost child." Severus snapped out.

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about? I am sure that the residence of this school would be able to recognize a small child if they saw one." Minerva snorted back incredulously.

"But that's just the thing. They wouldn't be able to see that he is a child because he is a BLOODY ANIMAGUS!" Severus said exasperatedly. "This morning when I was getting him out of the bath I noticed something about his back that made me furious. Daylan thought that I was mad at him and started withdrawing into himself until I managed to reassure him that he hadn't done anything wrong."

"What did you see on his back?" Minerva interrupted quickly.

"His back it covered with literally hundreds of scars from being beat with a belt. When I asked him what had happened to his back he told me that it was his punishment for doing 'The Bad Thing'." Severus said quietly.

"The what?" Minerva interrupted again.

"Vernon Dursley beat him with a belt because he could turn himself into a pure black wolf pup." Severus said his voice tinged with hatred and unadulterated rage. He would make sure that Vernon Dursley received just punishment for what he had done to his son.

Daylan was running as fast as his four legs would carry him. He didn't want to be rejected again; he couldn't bear to see the rejection in his Daddy's eyes. Not when he was finally starting to be happy and for once in his small life he didn't feel like he was a freak. Daylan had been so intent on getting as far away from the possible rejection that he could that he wasn't watching where he was going and ran head first into a pair of legs. Instinctively he curled up into a ball and waited for the angry hits to start.

"Oh my, who do you belong to you precious thing." Jocelyn McGonagall asked the black puppy as she carefully scooped him up into her arms and held him protectively to her chest. She then turned and started her walk up Albus Dumbledore's office. She needed to let him know that she had arrived.


	12. Meetings

Chapter Twelve: Meetings and Beginnings

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office shifting through the mountainous paperwork that had managed to pile up unsuspectingly.

Cornelius Fudge was one of the most incompetent wizards that he had ever had the pleasure of dealing with. How that man ever had won the election for minister was beyond him, he was still amazed that the man had ever graduated from Hogwarts. Sealing another letter to the illustrious minister he settled down to read a letter that a students parent had sent in regards to the newly changed age restriction on the visits to Hogsmead when he heard someone knock timidly on his door. Glancing up at the plaque mounted on the wall beside the door he saw that Minerva's daughter had arrived.

Jocelyn nervously knocked on the door leading to the Headmasters office. It would be the first time meeting the infamous Albus Dumbledore, the man that her mother had told tales about since she was a small child. When the door opened she slowly walked in glancing around the office with wonder. The pup that she still held firmly in her arms started squirming and she set it down on the floor beside her.

"I found him on the way up here, does he belong to one of the students or professors?" Jocelyn asked while watching the puppy sit absolutely still beside her feet. She looked up into the Headmasters face.

"I can honestly say that I have never seen this fellow around here before. Students are only allowed to bring a cat, owl, toad, or bat with them as familiars. And as for the staff, I don't believe that any of them have acquired any pets recently." Albus said quietly as he studied the strange puppy on the floor. He had the distinct feeling that there was something familiar about this animal, but he couldn't put his finger on it at the moment. Looking back up at the young lady in front of him he continued, "Now, I was curious as to how you were able to hear me answer your question and how you were able to speak as well as you did. I was under the impression that you relied on your gift of telepathy for communication."

Jocelyn smiled lightly at the Headmaster, "I could hear you because I have been a recent recipient of a muggle surgical procedure that has corrected my hearing to a degree that I am able to hear and speak without many problems." She answered as she reached down to pet the pup on the head.

Noticing that he was trembling she scooped him up in her arms once again and cradled him close to her chest hopefully making the poor thing feel a little less afraid.

"A muggle procedure you say? Could you tell me a little more about it?" Albus asked his curiosity rearing its head.

"Well, basically I had a cochlear-implant surgically placed in my ears…." Jocelyn began explaining to the very curious Albus Dumbledore. She didn't notice that the black pup had slunk over into a darkened corner and sat huddled in a ball.

Daylan was frightened. He didn't know who the woman was that had picked him up but he recognized the man as the one that was in his daddy's rooms last night when he woke up. He was scared because he knew that wherever his Daddy was he was going to be really mad at him. Daylan just hoped that he didn't punish him like his uncle did. Just as he was getting ready find a way to sneak out of the room his Daddy and another strange woman burst into the room. His Daddy didn't look mad though; he looked like he was scared. But why would he be scared? Daylan looked at the woman that had came into the room with his Daddy. He sniffed the air and something strange. He smelled a CAT! Wait a second, Daylan thought to himself. There are no cats in here. It was only when that woman came in he could smell it. Huh, that was really weird he thought to himself.

"Severus, slow down and repeat what you just said. I couldn't understand a word that you just said." Albus said trying to calm the panicking man.

" Daylan is gone." Severus blurted out, not even noticing the blonde haired woman sitting in front of Albus's desk.

Albus looked slightly alarmed and then told Severus and Minerva to sit down. "Start from the beginning and tell me what happened."

Severus took a deep breath and recounted the events leading up to when Daylan told him the reason for all of the beatings.

"He kept saying that the reason that his uncle was beating him was that he was a freak and he did 'the Bad Thing' and when I asked him if he could show me what the Bad Thing was he turned into a Bloody Wolf Pup! I was so shocked that I just sat there and he took thought that I was disgusted with him and took off running in his puppy form. Minerva and I have searched the entire castle and cannot find him. I am too afraid to even thing what could have happened if he managed to get out of the castle." Severus said his voice shaking with fear and panic.

"I don't think that you have to worry about that." Said a voice from beside him. Severus jumped. He hadn't even known there was someone else in the office.

Minerva smiled, "Jocelyn I didn't know that you where going to come so soon." She said to her daughter, and then frowned at what she had just said.

"What do you mean? I don't think that you realize how dangerous the Forbidden Forest is."

Jocelyn smiled at her mother and then looked at the man sitting beside her. " He wouldn't happen to be pure black and have the oddest shaped patch of white on his forehead with brilliant green eyes would he?" She asked slightly amused at confused expression on the man's face. When he nodded she continued. " On my way up here he literally ran into me so I picked him up and brought him up here with me thinking that he belonged to a student or one of the staff."

"Where is he?" Severus asked relieved that nothing had happened to his son.

"He was right beside me but it seems that he is probably hiding right now." Jocelyn said smiling.

Severus glanced around the room but couldn't spot his son. He suddenly had a great idea. He knew exactly how to show Daylan that he had done nothing wrong. Severus stood up abruptly and then with out a word he shifted into his animagus form, an adult black wolf with piercing black eyes. Raising his nose he sniffed the air delicately trying to pinpoint where Daylan was hiding. Following his son's scent he found him curled up in a ball in a darkened corner his tail tucked between his legs. With out any hesitation he licked his son on the nose and then gently picked him up by the scruff of the neck with his powerful jaws. He carried him over in front of the chair that he had been sitting in set him down softly and then shifted back into his human form. Several seconds went by before Daylan shifted back into the black haired little boy and then launched himself into his father's lap sobbing like it was the end of the world.

Albus watched Severus cradle the small boy in his arms and begin rocking slowly back and forth. "Well since we are all in here now. I suppose that introductions are to be made." Albus smiled at Minerva.

"Severus this is Minerva's daughter, Jocelyn McGonagall." He said and then turned toward Jocelyn. "And Jocelyn, this is Severus Snape and his son Daylan. Daylan is the young child that your mother had written to you about."

Severus glanced up at the woman and was struck at exactly how much she resembled Lucius. It was without a doubt that the woman sitting beside him had Malfoy blood running through her veins. The shit would definitely hit the fan if some one would ever see her and realize exactly who her father was.

Albus Dumbledore stood looking out his window at a complete loss at what to make of the past several days events. First Minerva's daughter Jocelyn shows up almost a week earlier than what she said in her response letter.

And when she does show up it is in perfect time to rescue Daylan. Who at the time was a wolf puppy running around the school trying to keep away from his father, for the simple reason that Daylan feared that his father was going to reject him for his unusual ability. Albus shook his head slightly in amazement; Daylan was a remarkable child.

He had been especially surprised and a little skeptical at Severus's description of Daylan's flawless transformation in his chambers but when he had seen with his own eyes in his office it had been truly amazing. The child most likely started shifting into his animagus form as a type of defense mechanism, and from the way it looked he had started doing it shortly after he had been placed with the Dursley's.

Albus let his chin hit his chest in a sad sigh. At times like these he wished that Cornelius Fudge had never been elected to be the Minister of Magic. The man was too damn stubborn for his own good. It had been at his insistence that Daylan was to be sent to his relatives instead of letting him stay at the school. He had to talk to Severus at what they where going to tell the Minister when it became apparent that Harry Potter was missing from his relatives home. He had an idea but wanted to make sure that Severus agreed with it.

Jocelyn's early arrival couldn't have happened at a more needed time. Daylan would need to get started on his schooling as soon as she was ready. The sooner that happened the better that it would be for everyone.

Albus thought back to what she had told him about her operation that she had had to correct some of her hearing. He would have to look into that with Poppy and see if it would benefit Daylan.

Albus slowly stood and walked over to his window. He would give Severus the afternoon to get Daylan settled back down before he went down and told him his plan for the minister.

Severus carried Daylan back down to their quarters; the boy had fallen asleep in his arms while he had talked to Minerva and her daughter. His thoughts drifted back to the woman that he had met for the first time in Albus's office. While talking with her and Minerva she had seemed to be a very intelligent person and had taken instantly to Daylan. He knew that Daylan would benefit greatly from having her as a teacher. He wondered how he should go about telling her about Daylan's alter identity.

Daylan started stirring in his sleep after Severus had laid him down on his bed. He brushed his hand gently over his son's forehead brushing the strand of raven hair away from the offending scar. They needed to cover it up some how, but he wasn't sure what would work. A rather simple idea popped into his head. He silently swept from his room and went to the fireplace. He threw in a pinch of floo powder and called for Minerva. Several seconds went by before her head popped into the fireplace.

"Is something the matter Severus?" Minerva asked worriedly.

Severus chuckled. "Actually I have come to ask you a rather strange question that I hope that you will not smack me for." He replied smiling.

Minerva glanced at the man in front of her imploringly. "And what would that question be?"

"Would you happen to have any of that muggle liquid makeup that you would use on your face?" Severus asked unsure if he was describing the stuff correctly. He had only seen Lily using it once or twice but hadn't really paid that much attention to it.

Minerva sat thinking for a few seconds before she answered. "I think that I do but if not I am sure that Jocelyn would. May I ask why you would need it?"

"I would rather not say over the floo but if you could find it would you please bring it down to my rooms." Severus asked hoping that his idea would work. He would only know when it was tried. If not then they may have to resort to more drastic measures.

He had thought about his son being Harry Potter for a while and how he would deal with that knowledge. It had taken a while before Daylan fully understood that his name was no longer Harry but Daylan. He had to basically tell his son that the Dursley's had lied and that was never his name to begin with. He would sit Daylan down when he was older and tell him the truth but for now it would remain a secret.

When he had talked it over with Albus a few days before they had decided that until Daylan was fully adjusted with Severus and caught up with his studies they would let a few others know the truth behind his son. But when it came time for Daylan to start Hogwarts he would be enrolled as Harry Potter. They wouldn't hide that fact that Severus was Daylan's father and hopefully it wouldn't cause a big stir in the news. But he knew that as soon as it hit the Prophet that Harry Potter wasn't truly a Potter there would be a huge scandal that paper would make up. It sickened his to think of what would happen but hopefully by that time they will have all been ready for the backlash.

Severus then thought of what would happen when the Ministry realized that Harry Potter was not longer living with his relatives. He supposed that would be another thing that he and Albus needed to sit down and figure out.

He knew that there was no way that they could let the Ministry know that Daylan Snape was actually Harry Potter. He would loose his son for sure.

Severus stood and walked over to his kitchen sink and filled the teakettle with water. He needed a cup of hot strong tea to clear his head. Shortly after filling cup with his favorite tea he heard someone knocking on his door. He quickly walked over and opened it revealing a very flushed Jocelyn McGonagall.

Severus realized that it was time to tell Jocelyn exactly who his son had been before he became Daylan Snape.


	13. All in a Day's Thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of his friends.

Chapter 13: All in a Days Thoughts

Albus Dumbledore stood looking out his window at a complete loss at what to make of the past several days events.

First Minerva's daughter Jocelyn shows up almost a week earlier than what she said in her response letter. And when she does show up it is in perfect time to rescue Daylan.

Who at the time was a wolf puppy running around the school trying to keep away from his father, for the simple reason that Daylan feared that his father was going to reject him for his unusual ability.

Albus shook his head slightly in amazement; Daylan was a remarkable child.

He had been especially surprised and a little skeptical at Severus's description of Daylan's flawless transformation in his chambers but when he had seen with his own eyes in his office it had been truly amazing. The child most likely started shifting into his animagus form as a type of defense mechanism, and from the way it looked he had started doing it shortly after he had been placed with the Dursley's. Albus let his chin hit his chest in a sad sigh.

At times like these he wished that Cornelius Fudge had never been elected to be the Minister of Magic. The man was too damn stubborn for his own good. It had been at his insistence that Daylan was to be sent to his relatives instead of letting him stay at the school. He had to talk to Severus at what they where going to tell the Minister when it became apparent that Harry Potter was missing from his relatives home.

He had an idea but wanted to make sure that Severus agreed with it.

Jocelyn's early arrival couldn't have happened at a more needed time. Daylan would need to get started on his schooling as soon as she was ready. The sooner that happened the better that it would be for everyone. Albus thought back to what she had told him about her operation that she had had to correct some of her hearing. He would have to look into that with Poppy and see if it would benefit Daylan.

Albus slowly stood and walked over to his window. He would give Severus the afternoon to get Daylan settled back down before he went down and told him his plan for the minister.

Severus carried Daylan back down to their quarters; the boy had fallen asleep in his arms while he had talked to Minerva and her daughter. His thoughts drifted back to the woman that he had met for the first time in Albus's office. While talking with her and Minerva she had seemed to be a very intelligent person and had taken instantly to Daylan. He knew that Daylan would benefit greatly from having her as a teacher. He wondered how he should go about telling her about Daylan's alter identity.

Daylan started stirring in his sleep after Severus had laid him down on his bed. He brushed his hand gently over his son's forehead brushing the strand of raven hair away from the offending scar. They needed to cover it up some how, but he wasn't sure what would work. A rather simple idea popped into his head. He silently swept from his room and went to the fireplace. He threw in a pinch of floo powder and called for Minerva. Several seconds went by before her head popped into the fireplace.

"Is something the matter Severus?" Minerva asked worriedly.

Severus chuckled. "Actually I have come to ask you a rather strange question that I hope that you will not smack me for." He replied.

Minerva glanced at the man in front of her imploringly. "And what would that question be?"

"Would you happen to have any of that muggle liquid makeup that you would use on your face?" Severus asked unsure if he was describing the stuff correctly. He had only seen Lily using it once or twice but hadn't really paid that much attention to it.

Minerva sat thinking for a few seconds before she answered. "I think that I do but if not I am sure that Jocelyn would. May I ask why you would need it?"

"I would rather not say over the floo but if you could find it would you please bring it down to my rooms." Severus asked hoping that his idea would work. He would only know when it was tried. If not then they may have to resort to more drastic measures. He had thought about his son being Harry Potter for a while and how he would deal with that knowledge. He had talked it over with Albus a few days before and had decided that until Daylan was fully adjusted with Severus and caught up with his studies he would not let anyone else know the truth. But when it came time for Daylan to start Hogwarts he would be enrolled as Harry Potter.

They wouldn't hide that fact that Severus was Daylan's father and hopefully it wouldn't cause a big stir in the news. But he knew that as soon as it hit the Prophet that Harry Potter wasn't truly a Potter there would be a huge scandal that paper would make up. It sickened his to think of what would happen but hopefully by that time they will have all been ready for the backlash.

Severus then thought of what would happen when the Ministry realized that Harry Potter was not longer living with his relatives. He supposed that would be another thing that he and Albus needed to sit down and figure out.

He knew that there was no way that they could let the Ministry know that Daylan Snape was actually Harry Potter. He would loose his son for sure.

Severus stood and walked over to his kitchen sink and filled the teakettle with water. He needed a cup of hot strong tea to clear his head.

Shortly after filling cup with his favorite tea he heard someone knocking on his door. He quickly walked over and opened it revealing a very flushed Jocelyn McGonagall.

Severus realized that it was time to tell Jocelyn exactly who his son had been before he became Daylan Snape.


	14. And the Truth Comes Out

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter Fourteen: And the Truth Comes Out

Severus stood in his doorway with his thinking of slow and cruel ways to torture Minerva. He could smell a set up a mile away and this reeked of it, although he had to give credit to her for trying.

"Come in. I suppose that your mother asked you to bring it down to me." Severus said to the flushing woman standing in the door rather embarrassed at being caught in her mother's schemes.

"Yes she did, but she didn't tell me why I was bringing it. And I am sure that you can imagine my reaction when she handed me a bottle of muggle liquid foundation." Jocelyn said as she followed Severus into his living room.

"Yes, I can imagine all of the things that you would be thinking of why I would need such a thing. But rest assured it will not be used for some nefarious purpose." Severus stood and walked toward his son's room. " There are some things that you should be made aware of about Daylan. I am sure that once you see why I wanted the makeup all the rest will become remarkable clear." He said as he sat on the edge of Daylan's bed. He was still asleep and Severus wanted to keep him that way so he quickly cast a sleeping charm of the sleeping child. He carefully brushed the black hair away from the recognizable scar.

"Oh My!" Jocelyn squeaked. "You weren't kidding when you said that it would become clear why you needed it." She watched as Severus lightly applied the makeup to the boy's forehead and after a few applications of it the scar was no longer visible.

Severus then cast a waterproof charm, a semi-permanent stay-put charm, and then a notice-me-not charm on the area covered with the makeup. Now for the ultimate test he thought to himself. He licked his thumb and rubbed it across where the scar was trying to see if it would become visible. It stayed hidden. He then looked behind him at the still in shock woman standing in the doorway.

"I suppose you would like to know what is going on?" He asked quietly and then turned back to Daylan and lifted the sleeping charm; he shifted a little but stayed asleep.

" Only if you think you should tell me. I just have one question really." Jocelyn said as she regained her senses. She followed Severus back into the living room and sat across from him on the couch. The fireplace crackled loudly in the silence of the room. Even with all the heat it was putting out she still felt chilled.

"What would that one question be? I will try and answer it truthfully if I am permitted to." Severus said as he sunk into his chair. Sitting in this chair always made him relax.

"Is he really your son?" Jocelyn asked bluntly.

Severus stifled a chuckle; she was definitely Minerva's child, bluntness and all. "Yes he is my son. Lily and I where married. James was a decoy to keep Lily safe. I was a Deatheater but I turned from it after I met Lily. I then started spying for Albus. It was not safe for Daylan to stay with me so we kept the ruse up that Daylan was James's son, and he was placed with Lily's muggle sister." He took a deep breath and then summoned a house elf.

After he ordered some tea for himself Jocelyn requested the same.

"Why didn't he stay at his Aunts?" Jocelyn asked as she quietly sipped her hot tea. She felt like her brain was being overloaded with information. Severus glared at his teacup before he answered her question.

" It came to our attention that he was not being cared for there. I went and retrieved him and when I brought him back Poppy examined him. It was then that we found out that he was deaf. Poppy thinks that with proper nutrition and a series of potions he may be able to gain his hearing back partially." Severus said watching Jocelyn out of the corner of his eyes. She looked thoughtful at everything that he had told her and had yet to start flipping out at his revelation that he had been a Deatheater.

"You ought to check with a muggle doctor first about his hearing. Potions may give him some of his hearing back but there is always the chance that he wouldn't react well with those especially at his age. We tried the series of potions with me but it only helped for a short time before my body became immune to them. It was then that we turned toward a muggle specialist.

I was a good candidate for the implants and I have never regretted having the surgery done. I can hear almost as well as you, the only problems that I tend to have is when I am in a crowded place it is hard to distinguish someone talking to me from the background noise. But that is when lip reading comes in handy." Jocelyn replied watching Severus become more and more interested in what she was saying.

"How would I be able to get a hold of one of these muggle specialists?" Severus asked very curious if Daylan would be able to receive these implants as well. This would definitely be something to look into.


	15. Around the Castle

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything in this wonderful universe. Though I wish I did.

Chapter Fifteen: Around the Castle

It wasn't until around Daylan's birthday that it finally came to Minister Fudge's attention that Harry Potter had been removed from his Muggle relative's home. He had come to Hogwarts and demanded that Dumbledore tell him where the boy was. Severus and Albus had come up with a simple solution.

They simply would say that they had no idea what Cornelius was talking about and tell him that it was up to the Minister to find the Potter boy. Fudge managed to keep the news that Harry Potter was missing out of the papers for two days before someone had leaked to the press. He finally admitted that he had no idea where the boy was but he assured the public that he would find the little lost boy.

That had been close to three months ago. The news had died down and soon it would be something that people would loose interest in at least that was what they hoped would happen.

Over the next few months Hogwarts had started back up and the students had returned. Daylan would eat with his father in the Great Hall and would occasionally be found sitting behind his father's desk on a blanket coloring or playing with some toys during the afternoon potions classes. Not much was known about Daylan, although it was widely believed and accepted that he was the Head of Slytherin's son. Jocelyn and the rest of the staff continued tutoring Daylan and had been amazed at how quickly he was catching up. He was now where he should be for his age.

The staff found out the hard way that just because Daylan couldn't speak that didn't stop him from performing magic.

Filius Flitwick had been tutoring the boy in Math one morning when a towering stack of charms books started to topple over. Daylan not wanting the books to fall onto the small teacher raised his hand up as if to catch the books but instead a wave of magic left his hand and steadied the stack of books.

Filius being so surprised at the amount of power that the child had used toppled off of his chair in shock. Daylan thinking that he had done something wrong immediately shifted into a wolf pup and curled up into a ball anticipating a violent reaction. Filius had realized what had happened immediately. Severus had talked to all of the staff that would be teaching Daylan and had told them of his unusual defense mechanism.

Even though he had been told of Daylan's animagus ability seeing it was an entirely different matter. Filius had tried to hold in his excitement as he walked slowly up to Daylan so as not to startle him. He then had gently picked the trembling ball of fur up and held him tight to his chest. He had started petting his head slowly and soothingly as he had walked out of the room and headed toward Severus's office.

It had taken close to seven hours to get Daylan to transform back into a child. Severus had shifted himself into his wolf animagus form and had curled up around his son. The whole time trying to reassure Daylan that nothing was going to happen to him and that he had done nothing wrong.

After that incident Daylan had stayed extremely close to Severus as all times, only leaving his side when he had to go to his own tutoring sessions. All in all the staff felt that Daylan was finally starting to heal after his life of abuse and neglect.

At the present time Severus had been pacing his quarters for the past hour and a half. He had taken Jocelyn's advice and had contacted the muggle specialist she had told him about. He and Jocelyn had taken Daylan the month before to see the specialist and he was now waiting for a reply on what his son's chances where that he would benefit from the procedure. He had gotten a call from the office earlier from the receptionist telling him to expect a call from the doctor around five. He looked back down at the offending object that was such a staple in the Muggle world.

The telephone.

He had a hell of a time convincing the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office that his having a telephone in his quarters did not breach the statute of secrecy. It took him too long getting the blasted thing in here, he'd be damned if some bureaucratic idiot told him he wasn't allowed to use it.

He was just about ready to continue his mental ranting when the phone rang. He glanced up at the clock. It was five sharp.

He picked up the receiver cautiously and held it to his ear, "Hello?"

"Hello, this is Doctor Morrison. I was calling to speak with Severus Snape about his son's appointment last month." Dr. Morrison said.

Severus took in a deep breath, "This is he." He said anxiously.

"Good, I was just calling you to tell you that the results have come back from your sons tests and we believe that he will benefit wonderfully from the cochlear implants. If you would like I could set you up with an appointment to get this underway." The doctor said from the other end of the line.

Severus let out the breath he had been holding and tried to keep from shouting with happiness. "That would be great. The sooner the better."

"Great, how about next week on Thursday afternoon at around 1:00?" The Doctor replied.

Severus jotted the time and day down and after telling the doctor that it was fine he hung up and then dropped unceremoniously into his chair. He needed to go and let Albus know that he needed to find someone to take over his classes for the next week and a half. He stood up abruptly and walked out the door headed toward Albus's office to tell him to good news, but first he stopped and picked up Harry from Jocelyn's office. After telling her the good news she said that she would walk up to Albus's office with the two of them.


	16. After the Surgery

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or and of his friends in the lovely universe that JK invented for us. 

Chapter Sixteen: After the Surgery

Severus stood watching his son sleep. Daylan had been sleeping for the last three hours after he had taken a fever reducing potion for the flu virus that he had gotten from the rest of the school. It had been three months since Daylan had the cochlear implant surgery. The surgery had gone great and he had been able to bring him home the day after. Daylan had healed fine with out the aid of magic, and had gotten his speech processor turned on five weeks after the surgery. He had started going to speech therapy but really had no need for it, his telepathy had helped more than what they had originally thought. He had picked up verbal speech like he had never had a problem with it in the first place. In the end they had ending up forging his speech therapy papers and had oblivated the doctor.

Daylan was now the proud owner of _Hi Res Auria ™_ processor that fit snuggly behind his ear with the microphone barely visible. The headpiece held in place over the transplant magnetically. As long as Daylan wore his hair long as he himself did no one would ever be able to see the device.

Severus had been initially worried that it wouldn't work in Hogwarts because it worked by electrical impulses and electricity in any form could not work in the school. Albus fixed that problem as soon as he had been made aware of it with Jocelyn's help. She explained that she had simple charmed the implant to be impervious to magical interference and was planning on doing the same for Daylan's.

Daylan was slowly adjusting to speaking out loud instead of telepathically; he continued to use sign language with his tutors and with any of the other staff members. He was a totally different boy than what he was when he first brought him here. And he was glad for it.

Severus was brought sharply out of his reverie when he heard a sharp knock on the door. Walking swiftly to the door he opened it so that the knocking wouldn't wake Daylan.

Standing in his door way was none other than Lucius Malfoy and hiding behind his legs was his godson Draco. Merlin he hoped that Jocelyn stayed away from his quarters today.

"Hello Lucius, it has been a while." Severus said amicably opening the door further so that he could gesture them in. He watched as Draco offered him a small smile when he walked past him.

"Severus, yes it has been a while, at least a year." Lucius said as he stood near the fireplace his eyes fixed on the photo of Severus and Daylan.

"I have been hearing the strangest rumors lately but I have not held to much credit in them. After all I was sure that if you had son around Draco's age I would have heard of him before now." Lucius said simple as he turned to face Severus.

Severus stood still for a few seconds before he walked over to Lucius and grasped him around the upper arm. He then led him toward Daylan's room and opened the door.

Lucius gaped at the small boy lying on the bed in the middle of what was obviously a child's room. He was shocked. Why would Severus not tell him about the boy, especially seeing that he would be the boys godfather, as Severus was Draco's.

"There are things that where not known until earlier this summer and I am still trying to straighten things out." Severus said as he walked back into the living room. He and Albus had already worked out a story incase something like this would happen.

"Yes, the boy in there is my son. But he has only been in my care since early June." Severus said looking at Draco who was sitting on the floor occupying himself with one of Daylan's books that had been left laying on the floor.

Lucius was shocked to say the least. There was no doubt that the boy was Severus's, he could tell that by the glance at the picture on the mantel. "Why is now that you have him, where has he been?"

Severus took a deep breath, "I didn't know that he existed until I received a letter telling me to come and get him." He pinched the bridge of his nose, he wished that Daylan and Draco could have met sooner but things had just been so hectic. "His mother disappeared after giving birth to him and he was sent to an orphanage where they abused him, neglected him and treated him like a house elf." Before he could continue Lucius interrupted.

"Who was his mother?"

Severus glanced back up at Lucius; he had the perfect cover up for Daylan's mother. "She was a woman that I had met in London. I never saw her again after that night. She was from Greece and was in London trying to escape an arranged marriage." He said and then continued, "My guess is that her father probably found her and forced her to give up the baby so that he could still marry her off." There had been mentions of such things happening before in some to the pureblood families. The daughter would run off and get pregnant by another man in hopes that she could get out of the marriage. Most of the time if that happened then the father simply waited until the baby was born, took it to the orphanage and the marriage still went on.

"But why didn't you contact me and let me know once you got him?" Lucius asked still curious as to why Severus had kept the boy hidden from the general public.

"There was a lot of adapting and learning on his part and good bit adapting and a lot more learning on my part as well." Severus said pensively.

"What did you have to learn, its not like you didn't know who to take care of a child." Lucius asked rather confused.

"I had to learn Sign Language." Severus said bluntly, putting an end to Lucius's confusion. "When I brought him home, Poppy gave him a physical and she informed me that he was deaf."

Lucius was at a loss at what to say. Now he could understand Severus's reluctance at taking his son out in public, not so much for the fact that he was deaf but just for the fact that he probably had a lot of issues to work out with the boy first, especially since he had been abused.

"Is there anything that could be done for his hearing?" Lucius asked genuinely concerned. He glanced down at Draco and was thankful that he had always been perfectly healthy.

"A couple of months ago he had a muggle procedure done and it has made given him the ability to hear out of one ear. Not in the same way as we hear, but don't ask me to explain it because I don't understand it. He is slowly getting to the point where he isn't frightened to be around other people and the staff has been tutoring him in his lessons." Severus explained to Lucius.

They both sat in relative silence for several minutes before Draco's voice brought them out of their stupor.

"What's his name Uncle Sev?" Draco asked finally. He had been listening to his Dad and Uncle talk about the boy in the bedroom.

Severus smiled down at his godson, "His name is Daylan. And when he gets over the flu I am sure that he would love to meet you."

Just as Lucius was about to say something to Severus about arranging a play date for the two boys he heard the door bang open and heard a woman's voice calling out for Severus.

Severus jerked his head toward the door. She just had to come down now didn't she?

Jocelyn walked through the kitchen and headed for the living room. Poppy had sent her down with some more potions for Daylan. "Sev, I brought down more of the…" she stopped talking when she seen that Severus had company and who exactly it was.

She knew that it was her brother staring at her much the same way she was staring at him.

Lucius was stunned. He would never have believed it if he hadn't read his fathers journals. Of course his father never found that he had seen what he had so desperately tried to hide.

"I wondered if I would ever get to meet you," Lucius said calmly as he stood and advanced on Jocelyn. "Sister."


	17. Reoccuring Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any thing in his universe.

Chapter 17: Reoccurring Nightmares

Unbeknownst to the occupants in the living room, the child asleep in the small bedroom was starting to thrash in the bed in the throws of a nightmare, a nightmare that would bring grown wizards to their knees in terror.

_Dream Sequence_

_Daylan watched from a darkened corner as a strange red-eyed man with a black hooded robe walk toward a red haired woman that was holding a baby with his wand raised and an evil smile on his face. He knew now that the woman was his mother and that the little baby was himself. That didn't make it any better, it made it worse._

_Daylan knew what was coming, he knew that he should try and help but no matter what he did she never heard or seen him. It was like he was a ghost._

_He dreaded hearing the begging screams of his mother and the scared cries coming from his baby self._

_He watched as she tried to slam the door in the hooded man's face but the door just was blasted from its hinges. He watched as the woman tried to shield the little boy from the pieces of wood that flew threw the air. _

_Daylan cringed and started crying when the man started laughing. That cruel laughter terrified him more than anything else in the world, even more than his uncle Vernon. Then he heard his mothers pleading start. _

"_Not Harry! Not Harry! Please--- I'll do anything---"_

"_Stand aside, Stand aside, girl!"_

_And then he would see the first flash of green light and then he watched helplessly as the mother that he never knew fell silently to the floor. _

_That was when the dream would start to fade, but just before Daylan would wake, that terrible sickly green light would flash once more. And just before _

_it was over he heard for the first time a raspy voice call out to him._

"_I am coming for you and your traitorous father, you won't escape me this time."_

"NO!" Daylan jerked awake screaming tears coursing down his cheeks. "No Mummy, please come back… save me and Daddy" he sobbed.

Earlier

Severus stood absolutely still not having a clue as to what was going to happen. Fate would have it that Jocelyn would manage to come down when Lucius and Draco were here.

He thought for sure that there would be blood shed before he could get some one here to separate them. Merlin knows that Minerva would kill him for failing to keep her beloved daughter out of harms way.

"Lucius." Severus started in a calm voice but was cut off by the blonde mans smile.

Lucius chuckled, "Fear not my dear friend, I have no intentions of harming my sister. How would I get to know her otherwise?" He asked nonchalantly as if it were the most normal thing in the world for him to be meeting the proof of his father's infidelity.

Jocelyn who had not taken her eyes off her brother was standing stock still with her mouth gaping open, she quickly recovered herself and snapped her jaw shut. "Well that was definitely unexpected." She said as she continued studying the man before her. She could now understand the shock that had shown on Severus's face the first time they had meet. She was undoubtedly a Malfoy.

But before either of them could comment an unearthly scream erupted from Daylan's bedroom.

For a split second no one moved and then all at once chaos ensued.

Severus leapt from the sofa and barreled into his son's room as if the Dark Lord himself was on his heels.

Draco scared from the terrifying screaming started crying himself reaching blindly for his father through his tears.

Lucius seeing that his son was in distress as well rushed to his side and scooped him up in his arms whispering calm and soothing things into his ears.

Jocelyn snapped out of her shock and raced after Severus and to Daylan, wondering what had happened to cause such terror in the little boy that had worked his way into her heart.

When she ran into the room she wasn't sure what she was expecting but the chaos around her certainly wasn't it.

The pure and unadulterated power that was pulsing in the room was suffocating. Toys, books and furniture were flying around through the air in a cyclone with Severus and Daylan in the middle.

"Holy Mother of Merlin" She gasped as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

Severus had been trying unsuccessfully to calm the child before someone got hurt. There was too much noise for him to be able to talk to Daylan vocally so he projected as much love and calmness in his words sent to his son telepathically.

Daylan, my son you need to calm down before someone gets hurt he said as calmly as he could.

Daylan sobbed even harder, I don't want anyone else to get hurt Daddy 

Calm down and tell me what happened Severus said gripping his son tightly fully aware of all of the objects flying past his head.

I can't, too… too… much gree…green light Daddy, I don't want it to get you like it did Mummy! Daylan cried burying his head further into his Daddy's warm robes. That man is coming Daddy, he is coming after me and you. And then as suddenly as Daylan's uncontrollable burst of wandless magic started it stopped. The room looked as if nothing had happened, not a single item of was out place.

And then it hit Severus as what his son had just said, and suddenly it felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over his heart.

"He is coming for us." He said not even realizing that he had spoken out loud until Lucius had spoken from the doorway.

"Who is Severus?" Lucius asked softly so not to scare the man.

Severus glanced down at the now sleeping child in his arms and then back up into the blue and silver eyes of his long time friend.

"Voldemort."


	18. Deciding

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters that you recognize in the Harry Potter Universe.

A/N: All of my reviewers have been absolutely amazing and I can't even begin to thank all of you. So here is a Thank you to all who has taken the time to say that you liked the chapter and that you are enjoying the story. I hope you all continue to give me feedback and I will continue writing as long as I can. Enjoy!

Chapter 18:

"What are you talking about, he can't be back!" Lucius whispered in a high panicked voice. Voldemort couldn't be back, Lucius had vowed the day that Draco was born that he would do everything in his power to make sure that his son never had to deal with what he did when he was in the service of the Dark Lord. He still had nightmares of all the past horrors that he had committed in the name of that monster. He would be damned if he let his son suffer his same fate.

Severus watched the emotions play over Lucius's normally stoic face. He could see exactly what he was thinking about and what was making him panic. Lucius didn't want Draco to make the same mistakes that he had made. He didn't want his son to live with the horrors and the remorse that he did for the rest of his life, it slowly ate at you from deep within. Severus dealt with the same think to a degree, after all there was only so many excuses that he could have used to get out of participating in the Dark Revels. What he did would haunt him for the rest of his life. And he knew that he would do anything and everything to protect his son. It had taken him too long to get him back, and he would be damned if he was going to loose him again.

"Lucius you knew as well as I did that it would be only a matter of time before he gathered enough power to come back." Severus said as he watched Lucius sink to the floor and gather Draco tightly in his arms.

Lucius looked up to his best friend. " I had thought, no, I had hoped that we would have more time. Time for Draco and Daylan to have a happy childhood; time to grow up with out being under the shadow of a madman."

Severus glanced over to where Jocelyn had slid down onto the floor and sat with her legs tucked under her. "We need to tell Albus, maybe he can tell us if there is anything that we can do to stop him from regaining his full power… stop the horror before it starts." He leaned his head down toward the sleeping boy still curled up in his arms and kissed his forehead gently.

"Jocelyn, you stay here with the boys and Lucius and I will go and get Dumbledore. He will probably want to talk to Daylan." Severus said as he stood quickly from the bed. Lucius nodded and walked Draco over to Jocelyn who was still sitting on the floor. Amazingly Draco curled up in her lap before Lucius could say anything to him.

Lucius watched his son in shock and then his eyes were drawn to Jocelyn's. "He isn't very trusting toward people he has just met and I think that this is the first time that I have ever seen him do anything like this."

Jocelyn just smiled and softly stroked Draco's downy soft blonde hair and gently tucked a strand behind his ear. "Deep down he knows that I am family, the same way that as soon as you saw me you knew who I was." Jocelyn smiled her eyes lighting up with happiness. "Probably has something to do with the High Elves that are in our family line."

Lucius smiled back at his sister. "I see that you have looked into the family line, remind me before I leave to show you a book that Dumbledore has. I learned more from that book than I did from the family books."

Severus shook his head and yanked Lucius toward the door, "Family reunions later, Dumbledore now." He said as he and Lucius walked toward the door.

Severus walked quickly out the corridor and strode purposefully toward Albus's office, his cloak billowing dramatically out behind him.

Lucius walked quickly up behind him and whispered in his ear " Its no wonder people think that you are a bloody vampire with the way that you stalk around the hallways with your cloak billowing out like that." He said snickering quietly but stopped and sobered immediately at his best friends glare and quick reminder at exactly what they were going to Albus about.


	19. Discussions of the Truth

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 19: Discussions of the Truth

Albus Dumbledore had been sitting behind his desk dozing; Fawkes was sitting on his perch, with his head tucked under one feather in a deep sleep. But that uninterrupted sleep did not last long. Albus jerked out of his chair when he heard someone banging on his door rather harshly.

"Come in!" he yelled out stuttering slightly from being shocked out of his nap so abruptly.

Seconds later a very pale looking Severus Snape entered with Lucius Malfoy following closely behind him.

"Is there something that I can help you with gentlemen?" Albus asked the two men standing in front of him. Severus he could understand being there but to see Lucius Malfoy in his office voluntarily was somewhat a surprise.

Severus could see the unasked question in Albus's eyes and he knew that after Lucius left he and the Headmaster were going to have a very long conversation. "Is there any way that Voldemort is alive?" he blurted out rather abruptly not dancing around the subject at all.

To say that Albus was surprised at the question was something of an understatement. "Oh my, what on earth brought this up?" he asked seeing for the first time the terror in Lucius's eyes at the mere mention of Voldemort being alive. He had hoped that when young Draco was born that Lucius would understand the seriousness of what he had gotten himself into and then try to change his ways. He then thought back to the actual question that had been asked of him. One that he had hoped would not come about for a very long time.

"The truth of the matter is that Voldemort had never really been killed to begin with, during his peak in power he had ensured a way to make it nearly impossible to kill him in every sense of the way. The night of the Potter's demise his soul had been cast out of his body when the curse failed to kill Harry, so yes he is still alive although I had hoped that it would take him longer to regain the power and strength that he had lost that night." He paused and then after seeing the expressions on the two men's faces he continued, "What happened that you would feel the need to ask?"

Severus glance out of the corner of his eye and seen that Lucius had dropped his head into his hands, something that he would never seen him do in the presence of anyone outside his family and to see him do it in front of Albus Dumbledore was something that spoke volumes. He saw that Albus also had caught the significance of the action as well.

Lucius Malfoy would not bow before Lord Voldemort ever again.

Severus knew that if they wanted to keep Daylan and Draco safe Lucius would have to know the truth about Daylan. There was no other way around it.

Albus took the matter into his own hands, "Lucius I need your word that what ever is discussed in this office, stays in this office. What you are going to be told could cause an uproar in the wizarding world." He said staring Lucius directly in the eyes neither of them breaking contact.

Lucius nodded his head seriously; "Nothing will leave this room I swear to you on my wizards honor. I can't let that madman come back to power; I can't let him get to Draco. He and Narcissa are the only ones that are important now." He said in complete sincerity.

Albus nodded his head in understanding, " There is something that you need to be made aware of about Daylan Snape. He wasn't always known as Daylan Snape. For the first five years of his life he went by the name of Harry Potter." He said waiting for the realization of what he had just said sink in.

Lucius was shocked, "But he looks so much like Severus!" he said still trying to wrap his mind around that revelation.

Severus smirked, "Who said that he wasn't my son?" he asked his long time friend loving the look of pure confusion that marred his perfect face.

"But, but Lily would never…" he said trailing off as he suddenly looked at Severus. He knew that Severus would never have an affair with a married woman, so that left only one other option. "James was never married to her was he, you were."

"Merlin it is so refreshing that someone thinks that I have some morals. I was seriously going to hex you if you even tried to say that I had an affair with a married woman." Severus said smiling at Lucius.

"Why wasn't he with you after that night, the last I heard was that he was staying with Lily's muggle sister?" Lucius asked not knowing of the hell that Severus had went through that Halloween night and what had transpired after that.

"I couldn't get him because I was in Azkaban. After Hagrid dropped Daylan off at Lily's sister's home the Minister and his personal aurors barged into my rooms and arrested me for being in league with Voldemort. They whisked me away before anyone realized that they had even came." Severus said not wishing to relieve those memories of the time that he spent in the Ministry's holding cells or his three months in Azkaban.

Albus knew that this was a very touchy subject for Severus, "It took me almost three months to convince the Wizagamot to grant him a trial. They let him go on the counts that I had testified that he was spying for the Order of the Phoenix." He said quietly, not wishing for Severus to get stuck in past memories.

Lucius looked at Severus and knew that they had a lot to talk about. He hadn't known that he had been sent to Azkaban or that he had even been put on trial. The Minister must have kept everything under wraps. Then again he had a nagging feeling that wasn't the first time that the Minister had done something like that. He just couldn't remember what he was trying to remember, but he was sure that it would come to him when he didn't have so much other things on his mind.

"Now what is going on with Voldemort and how did he manage to get into Daylan's dreams or at least that it what I gather has happened." Lucius said as he sat back into the chair glancing once over to Severus and seen that he was looking at Albus intently.

Albus looked at Severus expectantly, "Now could you please continue with what had happened this evening with our young Daylan."

Severus nodded and then proceeded to explain everything that had happened this evening including Lucius meeting Jocelyn, which had the old man's eyes sparkling like mad. Severus explained what had happened when he had ran in to Daylan's room and the amount of pure magical energy that was rolling off his young son after Daylan had the nightmare about Voldemort.

After the detailed explanation of the dream Albus's demeanor changed dramatically, "You said that he told you that there was too much green light and that he didn't want it get you like it did Lily. Do you have any ideas how long he has been having these nightmares?" he asked as he folded his hands on top of the desk.

Severus shook his head, "I imagine for as long as he could remember what happened that night, not exactly the best memory to have of your mother. He said that after the dream it changed from all of the others, Daylan said that he heard a rough and scary voice saying to him that he was coming for him and his 'traitorous father'." Severus said shaking his head trying to dispel the images of horror that started spilling through his head of everything that Voldemort was known to do to young children. He hoped that it would never come to that again. Severus knew that Lucius and Albus were thinking the same thing.


	20. Musings

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any thing that is familiar to that Universe.

Chapter Twenty: Musings

Severus and Lucius walked quickly back down to the dungeons, back to where they left the boys with Jocelyn. He hoped that Daylan had managed to fall back to sleep and that Draco and Jocelyn were getting along. Severus was relieved that his old friend was turning away from the thrall of the Dark Lord and was going to work for the Light. He just hoped that nothing would happen to Lucius or Narcissa. Draco needed his parents during this crucial stage in his life. He had come to realize how important he had become to Daylan since the little boy had come into his life.

While they had been talking to Albus they had decided that Severus would monitor Daylan's dreams and would report to the Headmaster if there were anything particular about what Daylan told him. They hoped that they would be able to establish a pattern to the dreams so that they could monitor the little boy.

They hoped that they would be able to trace Voldemort's magic from Daylan and find out where the bastard was hiding. Severus reached the door to his quarters and hesitated for a split second before he opened the door. The site that greeted the two men made them both smile and let out a sigh of relief.

Jocelyn was sitting on the couch with both boys curled up to her; all three of them were fast asleep.

Not wanting to wake the three of them Lucius beckoned Severus toward the kitchen were he began to make a pot of tea.

It was Severus who broke the silence. "How did you know that Jocelyn was your sister besides the striking resemblance?" he asked as he watched Lucius's face carefully.

Lucius sighed, "When I was around eighteen I came across some of my fathers personal journals in the family library. They were spelled so that only he could open them, but he didn't know that I had watched him several times activating the locking charms so I knew which ones they were and I knew how to override them. Being my self-centered self I wanted to know what it was that my father was so keen on hiding. So one night after he had left for a business trip I snuck back into the library and took the journals." Lucius shook his head trying to dispel some of the images that surfaced at the reminder of what he read. "Needless to say after reading those journals my opinion of my father was severely altered.

It had been the second journal that he had mentioned his affair with a young woman. I was shocked that he had done this to my mother so I read more trying to find the name of the woman so that I could confront my mother about it. It was only when I read that the woman was Minerva McGonagall that I decided not to mention it to anyone that I had found out about my fathers affair. I had been temped to stop reading then but I wanted to find out if the affair was still going on or when it had stopped. I was shocked when I read that when my father found out that Minerva was pregnant he ordered her to abort the baby. I had a feeling that Minerva would never do something like that so I imagined that she had secreted the child away from prying eyes. It took me a couple of minutes to figure out when the baby would have been born and then I realized that I had a younger sibling out there who was close to six years younger than I was. It was quite a shock at first but when I got over the fact I wondered if I would ever get to meet them." Lucius smiled and then continued.

"When Jocelyn showed up at your door tonight I knew as soon as I laid eyes on her that she was my sister. As corny as it may sound but I felt something familiar when she looked straight into my eyes and we connected in a way, almost as if our magic was confirming that we were siblings."

Severus just shook his head at the thought of his long time friend finding and sneaking off with his father's personal journals. "Well then, I can't say that I am surprised that you found out about your father's infidelity that way. Although I am rather surprised at this melding of magic as you put it. I don't think that I have ever heard of anything like that except for in the instances of identical twins separated at birth and then reuniting later in their lives."

Severus said pondering on what it could be that had happened earlier with them. Severus stood abruptly as the kitchen door opened but then sat down once he realized it was only Jocelyn.

"I laid both boys down on Daylan's bed, they are still sound asleep. I didn't want to wake them up." Jocelyn said as she took the seat across from Lucius.

When she looked up she found herself looking into the face of her brother.

She watched him with the same intensity as he was watching her. Deciding to break the silence Jocelyn looked over at Severus, "What did the Headmaster say about Daylan's dreams?"

Severus sighed heavily and ran his hand tiredly through his lanky shoulder length hair.

"Basically that Voldemort is still alive and is somehow manipulating Daylan's dreams. We really don't have much else to go on. Although Albus hopes that with the dreams we could in a sense trace Voldemort's magical signature from Daylan and find out where he is and take care of him before he can regain a body."

Seeing Jocelyn's confused expression Severus continued the explanation, "When Daylan defeated Voldemort as a result of the failed curse they formed a connection linked through the scar on his forehead. Voldemort wasn't killed that night like most people think but his spirit was forced from his body when the Killing curse rebounded onto him. So for the last five years he has been floating around as a bodiless spirit biding his time until he can rise again and begin his war once more." He said softly fear lacing is voice at the mention of an impending war once again orchestrated by the hands of a madman.

The three of them said nothing more as they sat around the table in silence each lost in their own thoughts of what another war would mean to them.

Each of them echoing the same thought over and over again.

'They needed to stop Voldemort now because if they failed and he was able to regain his strength and magic it would be the end of the Wizarding world

as they knew it.'


	21. The Lost Boys

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything that you would recognize in that universe.

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long for this chapter to get posted but life has a habit of sneaking up on you and demanding your attention. And demanding my attention it really has.

Chapter 21: The Lost Boys

Over the next couple of months life seemed to pass by with out anything out of the ordinary happening. Daylan had not had another dream since that night which in itself was a blessing but as it were they were no closer to finding Voldemort. Albus had been sending out various Order of the Phoenix members to check out vague tips but all had come back empty handed.

Daylan was adjusting to life with Severus as well as could be expected but there were some days when he would find the small boy curled up in some dark corner in his animagus form trying to escape from whatever it was that plagued him. Severus could never get Daylan to tell him why he felt the need to hide in his animagus form but he would tell him that the colors were never as bright as they were when he was a puppy. Of course Daylan would never explain exactly what that meant and to Severus that was more disconcerting than anything else. Severus guessed that Daylan would eventually be more open with him but he realized that it would take time, patience, and a lot of love to erase everything that the Dursley's had done to his child. But Severus vowed that he would be there for him every step of the way.

At the present time Severus was sitting silently in his office trying to grade his seventh year class essays on the properties of the mandrake root. He was starting to honestly wonder if anyone actually listened to his lectures. It was disheartening to see that so many students had no drive to do well in their subjects, especially with their NEWTS coming up at the end of the year.

Rubbing his head tiredly Severus wondered what his son had been up to during the day. Draco had stayed the night before and it was hard to tell what all the boys had gotten into. He just hoped that anything they did wasn't life threatening or permanent.

He was still trying to appease Filch after the last prank Daylan and Draco had played on Mrs. Norris. For some odd reason, which Severus couldn't fathom, Filch didn't seem to appreciate his cat being tuned into a Chihuahua. It had taken Minerva several days to undo Daylan's prank, which they found out later had been helped along with a potion that the boys had swiped from a seventh year Slytherin. He still thought that Mrs. Norris's change had been a large improvement.

Lucius had been bringing Draco over on the weekends so that Daylan would have some company of his own age. Last weekend Narcissa had come as well and had met Jocelyn for the first time. The two women had gotten along famously much to Lucius's horror especially when Narcissa started telling some rather embarrassing stories from their time at Hogwarts.

Both women had been brought up to speed on what Dumbledore had told himself and Lucius. Narcissa had wanted immediately to pack up and move to Hogwarts so that Draco would be safe. As much as Lucius wanted to do the same thing there was just too much stuff that they had to do before that would be an option. Dumbledore had already agreed to let the Malfoy's stay at Hogwarts whenever they were ready.

As Severus returned to his grading his son and godson were wondering the castle looking for something that would capture their attention. Little did any of them know that today would be the day that would break up the monotony that had plagued them since the night of Daylan's nightmare.

* * *

Daylan and Draco where wondering through the lower corridors of the Dungeons even though both of them were told time and time again not go there with out an adult. But being the normal children that they were they did not do what they were told.

As they came to the end of one corridor they found nothing but an old portrait of a black haired man with startling green eyes and a strange looking snake wrapped around his waist.

"Who's that?" Draco asked staring at the eerily still portrait. He was not used to seeing a portrait that didn't move.

Daylan had heard Draco's question but couldn't draw his eyes away from the portrait. He was automatically drawn toward the man's eyes; the same eyes that he seen in the mirror when he woke up each morning. He idly wondered who this man was as well as why he had a rather large snake wrapped around him. Then he started wondering why this portrait was in such and dark and scary part of the dungeon.

It was on this thought that broke him out of his starring contest with the unmoving painting and look around at where they actually were. Daylan didn't recognize any of the corridors surrounding them and when he looked down at the floor it was different than it was in the rest of the castle. It seemed dirtier and older then what he was used to seeing. Daylan looked nervously over at Draco who was still engrossed in the man's painting.

"Uh, Draco?" he said softly trying to get the other boys attention.

Draco turned toward Daylan. "What?"

Daylan gulped, "Where are we?" he whispered.

Draco looked around and he too realized that they were lost. He then took in the scared expression on his friends face and did what any best friend would do in these circumstances; he went over to Daylan and gave him a hug.

"It's ok, our Daddy's will find us." Draco remembered what his Daddy had told him a long time ago. He had told him if he had ever got lost and couldn't find a grown up then to stay where he was so that he could find him. "We need to stay right here and they will come and find us. That's what my Daddy told me to do if I ever got lost." He said solemnly.

It took a few seconds for Daylan to gather up his courage and look back at the portrait. It still looked like it hadn't moved so he scooted closer to it gazing directly into the snake's unblinking eyes. Daylan thought that maybe it had just been his eyes playing tricks on him because nothing was moving on the canvas. That was until he heard a low hissing voice coming from the snake.

"Hello, young master." The painted snake hissed softly.

Daylan stared in shock, not only had the snake moved but it had also talked to him. He didn't know what to do, scream or be polite and say hello back. Still deciding on what to do Daylan didn't hear Draco slide up beside him until he felt the other boy's leg rub against his own causing him to jump and scream loudly, "AHHHH!"

Draco clapped his hands over his ears and looked at Daylan fearfully, why had he screamed he didn't think that him bumping into him would have scared him that much. Looking around wildly for the cause of Daylan's hysteria Draco found nothing around them except the portrait. He glanced warily at the painting wondering if it had set Daylan off again.

Daylan stopped screaming and noticed that Draco was looking at the picture, he wondered if the snake would talk to him as well. "Draco that snake talks. It said hello to me." he said wide eyed to the equally shocked Draco.

* * *

It was nearing supper time when Jocelyn made her way down to Severus and Daylan's quarters. She was going to have dinner with the boys tonight and then she was going to take Draco back to Malfoy Manor. Lucius and Narcissa had wanted her to go on vacation with them but she had declined but had agreed to bring Draco home when he got done with his and Daylan's sleep over. She wondered what the boys had gotten into today. She remembered quite clearly what had happened the last time that Draco had stayed and if that was of any indication as to what those two could do together she hoped that her mother was retired by the time for them to start Hogwarts. If she hadn't by then, well she would just have to make sure that she bought stock in calming potions for her, because Merlin knows she will need them.

She finally came up to Severus's door and knocked and then walked in. "Severus, its just me." She said, as she didn't immediately see any one. Jocelyn heard Severus's office door open and then shut again so she wasn't surprised when the Potion's master walked tiredly into the living room.

"Where are the boys, I figured that they would have been back down here by now?" She asked glancing around at the quiet room.

Severus furrowed his brow and then glanced at the mantle clock that read 8:15. Frowning he realized that he had been grading papers longer than he had thought and then started to grow worried when it finally hit him that Daylan and Draco had not come back down here at seven o'clock like they had been instructed to do.

"I'm not sure where they are but both of the boys know that they are to be back here at seven." He said as he strode toward the door, they needed to let the Headmaster know that the boys hadn't come back yet. Albus would be able to tell them if and where they were in the castle and he just prayed that they were in the castle.

He felt Jocelyn's comforting presence beside him as they made their way up to Albus's office.

As they neared the office he felt a hand squeezing his own in reassurance and with out realizing it he squeezed back taking comfort in the warm hand now encased in his own.


	22. Found: Two Lost Boys

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you would find familiar in the Harry Potter universe.

A/N: Things are slowly starting to get better here and hopefully they will continue to get better. My son is doing a lot better in school now that we have figured out a behavior plan that works, for now at least. Hopefully I will be able to write more than I have in the last couple of months. Enjoy.

Chapter 22: Found: Two Lost Boys

Draco was starting to get really cold and scared. Daylan was hiding behind him and glancing fearfully at the painting. Neither of the boys could understand why the snake was talking to Daylan and why only the dark haired boy could understand the hissing. All that either of the boys knew was that the picture scared the both of them. After sitting there on the floor for another five minutes the snake hissed something else at Daylan, which frightened the boy even more.

Whatever the snake had said caused Daylan to start shaking uncontrollably.

Draco was afraid that something bad was happening to his friend and there was nothing that he could do to help.

"Its ok, our daddies will find us soon. And when they do everything will be alright." Draco whispered to Daylan desperately wanting to believe the words that was leaving his own mouth.

Daylan was struggling to calm himself down, but the walls of the dungeon seeming to get scarier and darker causing his level of fear to increase. Without even realizing what he had done Daylan had shifted into his animagus form and was huddling in a ball with his tail between his legs.

Draco felt the shift and turned and grabbed a hold of Daylan taking comfort in the soft warm fur of his best friend. He knew that it was only when Daylan was really scared that he changed into the wolf puppy, and it was times like these that he just wished that he could do the same.

He gripped tighter to Daylan's trembling body and curled around him protectively in the corner, fearful tears started to leak from his eyes. "Please Daddy, Uncle Severus hurry." He whispered into the damp dark dungeon's nothingness.

* * *

Severus and Jocelyn burst into the Headmasters office startling the old wizard so much that he fell off of his chair.

"My goodness what in Merlin's name is a matter with you two?" Albus asked as he pulled himself back up into his chair. He took in Severus and Jocelyn's appearance and quickly came to the conclusion that something was wrong and it probably involved Daylan or Draco.

Severus took a deep breath, "The boys are missing. They were exploring the castle today and were told to be back in our quarters by seven. I've tried calling to Daylan through his link but I get nothing, it's like I am hitting a blank brick wall." He said as the panic started to creep into voice. There were so many dangers in and around the castle some of which that would be entirely too enticing for two six year olds to ignore.

Albus stood and made his way to the far wall of his office with Severus and Jocelyn following closely behind.

Severus was astonished to see an entire map of Hogwarts split into the different levels. In all of his years as a student and a teacher there were many places that he had never seen let alone ever imagined that those places existed.

There were four maps for the dungeons alone.

Albus raised his wand and pointed it at the map. "_Manifesto Humanus." _With that incantation the map lit up with named dots that moved around on the map. "Start looking for them. I imagine that they are still together."

Severus started looking at the different levels of the dungeons and hoped to Merlin that they hadn't found their way to the sub dungeon, which from what he could see was nothing but prison cells. His eyes roamed over the next map level of the dungeons. Just as he was about to move on to the next one when he was immediately drawn to one stationary dot and a flickering one that was almost on top of the other. Draco's name was clearly legible but the other dot had no name.

"I found them, or at least I found Draco." Severus said wondering where his son was, if the flickering dot was Daylan and if it was what had happened to cause his name not to show up and to flicker. He pointed at the two dots when Albus and Jocelyn moved to look over his shoulder at the map.

Albus sighed in relief, both boys were still in the castle and they were in good health. Daylan's flickering dot was interesting. The only thing that Albus could imagine that would cause the spell to become confused was the possibility that Daylan had shifted into his animagus form. After all he had only asked the map to show the humans in the castle.

Albus hurried after Severus and Jocelyn and then stopped when it hit him that Lucius should be notified, he imagined that after this evenings ordeal Draco would want the comfort that his own parents would give him.

"Severus you two go on ahead, I am going to Floo Lucius and Narcissa and have them come. I will have them meet you in your quarters." Albus yelled out quickly.

Severus turned back to Albus, "We will meet you all there then after Jocelyn and I find he boys." He said as they quickly made their way to the corridor that would lead them to where Draco and Daylan had gotten lost. One thing that Severus had realized was that at the time that they were standing looking at the map in Albus's office neither of the boys' dots had moved. This made him think that the boys had probably realized that they were lost and one of them had known to stay in one spot so that they could be found quicker. He imagined that it was probably Draco who had been told to stay in one spot because he was sure that the Dursley's never would have told his son anything of the sort. At least he hoped that the reason that their dots hadn't moved was because they had known to stay still and something else wasn't keeping them trapped.

* * *

Jocelyn had never been so scared in her entire life as she was when they discovered that the boys had gone missing. She had grown to love both of the boys and it would kill her if something ever happened to them.

"Where at in the dungeon are they?" she asked Severus as they started down another dark corridor.

Severus turned and looked at Jocelyn, "They are in the second level of the dungeons down a dead end hallway." He personally had never known of that particular hallway but he imagined that if anyone could find secret and lost rooms and corridors it would be his son and godson.

They finally came to the corridor that the boys were in and stopped. Severus looked down at the floor and noticed the thick layer of dust that covered it. He noticed two sets of small footprints and knew that they had found the right place.

"Daylan, Draco, are you there? Can you hear me?" He yelled rather nervously. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck and arms rising up and immediately felt uneasy. Something was in the corridor with the boys and whatever it was it gave of a feeling of darkness, not necessarily evilness but definitely darkness.

This feeling made Severus start to run down the corridor toward the end hoping against hope that there was nothing going to harm his son.

Jocelyn and Severus both skidded to a stop when they reached the end of the hallway. There in the corner curled around each other was Draco and Daylan. The mystery of the flickering dot of his son was solved as it became immediately apparent that Daylan was in his animagus form. Something must have scared him terribly.

"Draco, are you and Daylan ok?" Severus asked softly so not to startle either one of them.

Draco's head whipped up at the sound of Severus's voice. "Uncle Sev?"

Severus rushed over to the boys and pulled them both into his arms. He could feel Daylan trembling and when he looked down at his son he could barely make out which end was which because he had curled himself into such a tight ball.

"What happened?" he asked trying to meet Draco's eyes, but the young boy refused to lift his head and kept it buried in Daylan's fur.

Draco finally looked up into Severus's eyes, "That picture over there talked to Daylan." He said pointing at the wall across from them.

Severus stood up and walked over to the portrait. Looking at it carefully he quickly realized that it wasn't animated. But what were rather stunning were the man's eyes. He had the same peculiar shade of green eyes that Lily and Daylan had. He didn't recognize the man in the painting at all but when saw the snake wrapped around his shoulders he made an educated guess that it was someone of the Slytherin line.

Glancing down at the bottom of the painting to the frame he could barely make out the remnants of a name plaque.

Pointing his wand at the plaque his whispered "Lumos", he then ghosted his fingers over the engraved name and was shocked at what he read.

_Salazar Slytherin_


	23. Finding Family in the Strangest Places

Disclaimer: Don't own though wish I did.

A/N: Things are slowly starting to look up and hopefully I will be able to start writing more.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Finding Family in the Strangest of Places

Severus was beyond shocked and the only thing that was registering in his mind was that some where some how his son was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. But that was neither here nor now and he forced himself to stop thinking about that and focused on the fact that Daylan was still curled up in a tiny ball in Draco's arms.

He bent down and scooped up both Draco and Daylan. He glanced behind him at the portrait and decided that he would come back down at another time and find out what the painting had said to his son that would scare him so much and cause such a set back in Daylan's emotional healing.

Jocelyn saw that both boys were fine and knew that she needed to go and let Albus know that they had found them.

"Severus, I am going to head back to Albus's office and let him know that the boys are alright."

Severus nodded his head, "I am going to take them back down to my quarters, if Lucius and Narcissa are here just bring them down."

Jocelyn ran her hands through Draco's hair and scratched Daylan behind his ear and then headed back up the corridor towards the Headmasters office.

Draco looked up at his godfather and wondered if he and Daylan were in trouble for wondering off and getting lost. "Uncle Sev?" Draco whispered.

Severus looked down at Draco. " What is it?"

Draco took a shuddering breath and tried to keep his eyes from tearing up, "We aren't going to get a spanking are we?"

Severus smiled slightly, "No Draco. But I think that you and Daylan are going to be spending a lot of time in my quarters instead of wandering around unsupervised."

Draco let out the breath that he had been holding in relief. He hugged puppy Daylan and whispered in his ear, " I told you that we were going to be alright and that your daddy would find us."

Severus smiled when he heard Draco's whispered comment. It was then that Daylan decided he was safe enough to change back and it was only with Severus's quick reflexes that saved both boys from tumbling to the ground.

Daylan buried his head in his Severus's shoulder and started sobbing. Severus sat Draco down on the floor so that he could get a better hold on Daylan. "Sh… Sh..., It's alright. I've got you now." Severus said to the sobbing boy as he rubbed comforting circles on his back.

Daylan still crying whispered into Severus's ear, "Daddy I thought that we were going to be lost forever and then that snake in the picture talked to me and it scared me."

Severus was shocked, had Daylan just said that the snake had talked to him? " Do you mean that the man with the snake talked to you and scared you?" he asked the still trembling boy.

Daylan shook his head, "No, not the man the snake. It blinked when I was looking at it and then it started to talk to me and it scared me with the hissing cause it sounds like the bad man in my dreams."

Severus was beyond startled; his son was a parselmouth, a magical trait that only one other in the wizarding world had. Voldemort. This put more credence toward the probability that Daylan was a descendent of Salazar Slytherin.

The three of them had finally reached the Headmasters gargoyle when they were rushed at by Narcissa and Lucius and then met by a more sedately Albus and Jocelyn.

Draco was scooped up into his mother's arms. Draco looked at his father and smiled. " I did what you told me to daddy. When we got lost we stopped and stayed right where we were and waited for uncle Sev or somebody to find us. And then Daylan got scared because some picture talked to him and he screamed and it scared me too and we were so scared daddy…" Draco trailed off remembering how scared he and Daylan were.

Lucius gently lifted his son from his wife's arms and hugged Draco. " I am very proud that you remembered what I told you and I am glad that you are both ok now. But maybe next time you two decided to go wondering around you will remember to stay where you are familiar with the surroundings.

Draco nodded his head solemnly and laid it on his daddy's shoulder. He was getting really sleepy but he was hungry too. They had missed dinner and his belly soon made that apparent when it grumbled loudly. Draco giggled.

Albus cleared his throat and gestured toward his office. "Why don't we go back and sit down and I will call for a house elf to bring the boys some dinner." He said and began walking back up the staircase to his office. "Nippy." He called out and seconds later a small house elf popped in.

"What can Nippy do for Headmaster Dumbledore sir?" Nippy asked bowing her head respectfully.

Albus smiled at the small creature, "The children are in need of some dinner as they seemed to have missed it earlier." He said as the rest of the group made their way to the various chairs in his office.

Nippy bowed once more. "Nippy will be right back with food for the little masters." And then with a soft pop she disappeared once more.

Severus sat down in the chair he always sat in with Daylan still in his lap. The little boy's sobs had lessened and Severus knew that he was bound to have nightmares tonight.

"Daylan, are you ready to eat?" Severus asked as the house elf popped back into the room with two trays with steaming how soup and crackers, and a cup of pumpkin juice.

Daylan nodded and slid off of his daddy's lap and headed to the little table the house elf had set up for him and Draco. Both boys sat down and began to eat hungrily.

While the boys were occupied with eating Albus turned toward the adults. " Now that we have the boys back and safe did you find out what had happened?"

Severus nodded his head and began to retell the events of the last hour. By the time that he had gotten to the part of looking at the picture of Salazar Slytherin and how much Daylan looked like him, Severus was just as concerned as he had been when he first found the boys. He wanted to know if Daylan was a descendant of Slytherin and if he was what would that mean later in his life.

Albus was shocked at the boys finding what he believed to be Salazar's missing portrait, and he also had a nagging suspicious that the portrait that they found could be guarding Salazar's personal quarters. That would be something for sure to look into later. He needed to know for sure if it was the snake in the portrait that talked to the young boy or if it was the man, but he had a feeling that it was the snake just by Daylan saying that it sounded like that man in his dreams.

" Are you sure that he said that it was the snake that talked to him?" Albus asked Severus.

Severus shook his head yes, as much as he wished that he was wrong. "Yes, he said that snake talked to him."

"Well then, it looks like out young Daylan is a parselmouth and seeing as that trait runs only in the Slytherin line it would safe to assume that somewhere back along his family line there was a connection. It is a simple matter of brewing up a lineage potion to make matters final. It is something that he will need to know before he starts school as there are certain safeguards that need to be put into effect for any of the Founders Heirs when the begin schooling here."

Severus shook his head in disbelief, brewing up a lineage potion indeed. That potion was one of the most difficult and dangerous potions to brew with so many volatile ingredients and the fact that it used a person's blood made it a borderline Dark Arts potion. But if what Albus was saying was correct and Daylan was a Founders Heir, they needed to know and have solid proof for if it was ever disputed. Merlin he was getting a headache just thinking of everything that he needed to do to prepare to make it.

"I will start gathering the ingredients." Severus glanced over at his son and saw that he and Draco were flicking a cracker back and forth between them and knew that they both needed to get to bed soon. " I think that I am going to take Daylan down and get him settled in bed."

Daylan stood and walked over to his dad while Draco walked back to his mum.

"See ya later Daylan" Draco called over his fathers shoulder as the three Malfoy's walked down the stairs to head home.

Severus turned toward the quiet woman still sitting in the corner. " Would you like to come down for a cup of hot chocolate and help me get this monkey in bed?"

Jocelyn glanced over at Albus and saw that damned twinkle and knew that her mother would know where she was as soon as she stepped out of the office. She looked back over at the two expectant males that she had fallen hopelessly in love with.

She smiled and reached down to take Daylan's hand. "I would like that very much."

And with that the small budding family walked out of the grinning Headmasters office.


	24. Confessions

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or anything in the HP Universe.

Chapter 24: Confessions

It was late when Severus finally was able to sit down and really absorb what all had happened earlier in the evening. Too much had happened then for him to really take into consideration of what the events would eventually lead to.

Now that he had time to think Severus was curious. What was Salazar Slytherin's portrait doing in an unused portion of the dungeon and why had it never been found before today. He knew that before the night was over he would be back at the portrait to see if his hunch was correct.

Daylan was finally asleep courtesy of a calming and mild sleep potion added to his hot chocolate.

Severus had seen the Malfoy's out earlier with a sleeping Draco in Lucius's arms.

He pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to stave off the impending headache. Sometimes he wished that for one day he could have a normal existence. Severus had often wondered if it would have been better to take Daylan to the manor and raise him there instead of at Hogwarts. Today was one of those days that made him want to pack all of their belongings and never look back.

A knock at the door startled Severus from his morose thoughts.

"Enter" he said tiredly.

Jocelyn peaked around the edge of the door and could see that Severus was exhausted. "I'll come back tomorrow if you're not up to company."

Severus shook his head, "No, please come in. A distraction would be welcomed." He took a sip of the now cold tea in his hand. Absently he used a wandless warming charm to make it drinkable once more. Had he really been sitting there that long brooding?

"That is good to hear, although I am not sure if being called a distraction is an insult to my character or not." Jocelyn smiled. It was a good sign that Severus was joking and not planning the easiest escape route.

"So are you planning on packing up and leaving?" Jocelyn joked as she followed Severus into the living room.

Severus smiled, was he really that easily read. "No, although the thought did cross my mind several times in the last couple of hours."

"Did you get Daylan to sleep without any problems?" Jocelyn asked as she slid into the overstuffed chair that was across from Severus.

Frowning at the memory, "I had to convince him to take a calming draught and a mild sleeping aid before he would go to sleep. I just hope that tonight will not be full of nightmares for him. It has been a while since he has had one." Severus replied as he continued to rub the sides of his throbbing temple.

Looking up he asked "Will you please go to my potions cabinet in the bathroom and get me a headache relief vial. It should be a light blue colored potion right in the front."

Jocelyn smiled slightly and walked to the bathroom. Opening up the cabinet door she saw a wide variety of potions and the headache relief was exactly were Severus said that it would be. Grabbing the small vial she walked back into the living room and silently handed Severus the potion.

Severus nodded gratefully and swallowed the potion and almost immediately the painful thumping in his head started to subside. "Thanks. I don't think that I would have been able to make it to the cabinet with out throwing up."

Jocelyn shook her head in amusement. "What made you change your mind about leaving the school with Daylan? I know that if I was in the same situation I would have probably left a long time ago."

"There are many things that make my decisions for me whether or not I agree with it. Things with me are complicated beyond all belief and now I have brought my son into it as well. And as much as I would like to explain more to you, I can't tell you as there are more lives at stake than just mine and Daylan's." Severus said morosely and then abruptly standing he held his hand out toward Jocelyn, gesturing for her to sit next to him.

Jocelyn took Severus's hand and let him pull her toward the sofa. She could feel the heat from his hand causing a strange sensation to bloom in her chest. She wasn't sure were this was leading but she knew that were ever it took her she would follow her heart.

Severus watched as Jocelyn sat down quietly next to him with a range of emotions flickering through her eyes. It surprised him that he couldn't pinpoint what emotions there were. "I won't lie to you, there are many things in my past that would make a grown man cry and I need you to understand what exactly my position is."

Jocelyn was confused, "What do you mean?"

Severus sighed, he knew that this was the make or break moment. Jocelyn would either accept him for what he was and had been or she would walk out the door and not look back. Slowly he began to roll the sleeve up on his left arm revealing a pale Dark Mark. It wasn't plain to see but the color had started to darken in the last several months cementing the fact that somehow Voldemort was coming back to strength.

Jocelyn's hand flew to her mouth to cover the gasp. "You're the spy for the Order my mother talked about!"

Severus looked back up in shock, that wasn't exactly the reaction he was expecting. "You're not disgusted with me?"

"NO!" Jocelyn replied vehemently. "My Mother saw fit to inform me of all of the Order meetings and the going on's of the first war regardless that I was several countries away. I think she did it more for her sake and to help convince me to stay as far away from Hogwarts as I could."

She sighed. "I can't imagine the horror you have had to experience but I think that you are a very brave man and I respect that."

Severus was amazed. No one outside of the Order of the Phoenix had every said anything remotely to what Jocelyn was saying and it filled him full of gratitude. "I… I don't know what to say. I never expected that you would listen to what I had to say and not run out of the room to floo the Ministry to report that a Death Eater was a professor at Hogwarts. No one outside of your mother and Albus has ever said that I was brave." He said his voice tapering off embarrassed at the level of emotion that was leaking into his voice.

Jocelyn reached out and grasped the trembling hand and held it tight. "Even if I never knew about your past, the things that you have done for that little boy in the next room would have been enough to make me fall in love with the person you are now. The past is just that Severus, the past."

Severus sat there in silence revealing in the feel of Jocelyn's hand holding onto his. It was comforting and terrifying at the same time. It had been over six years since he had been this close to another woman. Jocelyn reminded him so much of Lily that he wondered if somehow Minerva was related to his late wife. "I hope you know that I am flying blind with Daylan and most days I have no idea what to do and then I question myself a hundred times on whether I am being the best father I can be."

Jocelyn smiled. "That's what I mean Severus, you care so much for that little boy that you worry that you aren't going to be good enough for him. I don't know any other parent that doesn't do the same thing."

Severus sighed, "Things are going to get worse before they get better and I fear that Voldemort may return to try and finish what he set out to do when he killed Lily and James." his voice choked on the next words. "I can't loose him, I just can't and I don't know how to protect him from something that is invisible and can get him through his dreams." Severus could feel the tears running down his cheek but he didn't care.

Jocelyn's heart broke when she saw the tears. "So you're saying that Voldemort can get to Daylan through his dreams?"

Severus nodded his head, "Yes, as far as we know he can only interact with him when he is sleeping but Merlin knows what horrors he could subject Daylan to before we could wake him up."

Jocelyn squeezed her eyes shut at the thought of that precious little boy being tormented in his dreams by an insane murderer. Making up her mind once and for all she gathered up the courage and looked Severus in the eye. "There is something that I think that I need to tell you as well. Although I don't think that it will be as horrible as what you told me, at least I hope it isn't."

Severus smiled. "I don't think that there is anything that you could say that would make me run away in horror."

A giggle escaped from Jocelyn's throat before she had a chance to stop it. "When I was asked to come here to tutor Daylan I never thought that I would find myself in this position. Although I think that my mother may have had some hand in it as well as the Headmaster…"

"Jocelyn, you're starting to ramble. I promise you can tell me anything and I will not think of you any less." Severus said softly as a small smile formed on his mouth.

Taking a deep breath Jocelyn plunged forward, "I love you Severus and I love that precious little boy that is in the next room asleep. But if you don't feel the same way than I understand and I will help you find another tutor for Daylan."

Severus was stunned. Never in a million years did he think that this would happen again. He had been lucky to find love once but to find it a second time, he just couldn't believe it. He glanced up at the woman who so quickly made herself a part of his and Daylan's lives and he found that he couldn't picture the future without her in it. He could see that he silence was making her nervous and it looked as if she would bolt at any given second.

"I don't know how I got so lucky to find a woman that could see past everything that I am and love me as well as my son." And with that he leaned forward and captured her lips with his in a gentle but firm kiss that promised so much more than what paltry words could say.


	25. The End of the Darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.

A/N: LAST CHAPTER!! Oh my I actually finished my first story. Thanks to all of you who have bared with me and my inability to update more than real life lets me. I hope that you all have enjoyed the story. Thanks to all of the reviewers and the non-reviewers who have stuck with the story. Let me know if you think that there needs to be an epilogue.

_**Words in Italics are Daylan's telepathy**_

Chapter 25: The End of the Darkness

It had been almost the end of the school term when Severus and Albus finally made their way back to the abandoned corridor to examine the portrait of the former founder.

Their visit had been enlightening to say the least.

They managed to verify that the portrait was that of Salazar Slytherin and he had been reawakened when Daylan had whispered to the snake in parseltongue.

Salazar's portrait had been in a forced sleep by a headmaster close to four hundred years before.

The long and arduous talk had revealed many of the half truths and misconceptions about Salazar. The most shocking revelation was that Daylan's eye color was distinct to Salazar Slytherin direct line of descendents because of the fey blood that had run through Salazar's wife.

Severus thought that there was more than that to it especially when he asked if Voldemort was one of his direct descendents and Salazar had scoffed at the idea. Salazar took pity on Severus when it was apparent that the man had been concerned that his son was related to the person that had killed his mother. He told the man to stop worrying and explained that Tom Riddle was a descendant of one of his sisters and did not have any fey blood in him, which as Salazar explained meant that he could be killed by normal means. What exactly that meant for them now Severus had no idea but he figured that between Albus and Salazar they would figure something out.

Severus had a feeling that there would be many, many more interesting conversations in the future with the snarky Founder.

His and Jocelyn's relationship had taken off after the night of confessions and there wasn't a day that went by that they weren't seen together and Severus couldn't imagine his and Daylan's life with out her in it. So he and Daylan had decided that they needed to have her there for them permanently and Severus proposed to her on Valentines Day. She had made him and Daylan the happiest wizards in the castle when she accepted.

They had planned for an early summer wedding and much to the happiness of her mother they had decided to expand his quarters in the castle instead of trying to find a house in Hogsmead.

Daylan was still adjusting to life away from the Dursely's and he hadn't anymore major set backs since the incident with the portrait, which for that Severus was grateful.

As for him, well if he could just finish marking these damned essays he would be happy.

Finally after four hours he had finished with all of his marking and now he could go and get something to eat and make sure that Daylan was asleep. Jocelyn had come in earlier and let him know that Daylan had eaten with her and Albus and she had put him to bed. Severus had never pictured himself as a family man but now he didn't think that he could ever go back to what he was before.

Gathering up his papers Severus headed for the door to his office when he suddenly felt in the pit of his stomach that something was horribly wrong. Quickening his pace he headed straight for his quarters.

* * *

Daylan was terrified.

A strange man had gotten into his home and had done something to Jocelyn. She wasn't answering him in his head like she usually did and his daddy was too far away. So much had happened so quickly and now he was scared.

He had been asleep and was dreaming about his Daddy marrying Jocelyn when he was jerked awake by a very scared looking Jocelyn. She told him to hide and not come out until either her or his Daddy came and got him. So Daylan had done that one thing that he knew would help keep him hidden. He changed into a puppy and crawled under the desk and then squeezed behind it into his special place. It was his special place that his Daddy had made for him when everything around him was too big and loud.

Daylan curled into a tighter ball when he heard heavy footsteps move into his room and stop just inside. He could smell the bad man as he walked into his room. When the bad man started to talk everything in Daylan froze.

It was him!

The bad man with the scary laugh in his dreams, the one that said that he was going to come after him and his Daddy.

Daylan tried again to talk to his Daddy but he couldn't feel him, there was something that was blocking him.

He wanted his Daddy to come and make the bad man go away.

* * *

Just as Severus got to the corridor that led to his quarters his senses were assaulted with the horribly familiar backwash of Voldemort's magical signature. He could feel the wards preventing him from going any farther and Severus knew that the only one in the castle now that could break through these wards was Albus.

Turning around and taking off in a dead run toward the Headmaster's office Severus prayed that they wouldn't be too late.

Making the last turn in a slide Severus screamed out the password to the gargoyle and took three steps at a time until he reached the door. With out waiting to be acknowledged Severus slammed open the door and collapsed onto his hands and knees.

Albus stood up knocking his chair over as he rushed to Severus's side. "What's wrong?!"

Severus gasped and then finally was able to find his voice.

"Voldemort is in the school." He gasped.

"He is in my quarters and has warded off the corridor. I couldn't get in, Jocelyn is in there with Daylan and because of the wards I can't get through to Daylan's mind."

He turned and started back toward the stairs knowing the Albus would be straight behind him.

If he had been in any other state of mind he would have noticed that Albus hadn't been alone and that Minerva was quickly filling in behind Headmaster.

"Wait!" Albus shouted and then turned back toward the large tapestry of Hogwarts that hung behind his desk.

Severus and Minerva both stopped and turned to watch as Albus ran his wand in a circle around the entirety of the castle and whispered "Lockdown"

All around them Severus could hear the sounds of castle going into defense mode as they hurried down the stairs. As soon as they got to the warded corridor Albus immediately started tearing down the wards, muttering long strings of Latin and another language that Severus didn't recognize.

Finally after what seemed to be hours, which Severus knew to only be minutes, the final ward came down in a blaze of light and they were able to make there way to Severus's quarters.

The guarding portrait was destroyed, and the door was wide open.

When they made their way into the living room it looked like a disaster area. Almost nothing looked recognizable and there wasn't a thing that was in its original place. There was no sign of Jocelyn, Daylan or Voldemort.

Minerva's muffled gasp brought Severus's attention to were the book shelf used to stand and he saw immediately what had caused her reaction.

Jocelyn was there on the floor lying so still.

Severus's heart was in his throat.

Please, no. Thought the man who had already lost one love to Voldemort. Please don't let it happen again.

The three of them rushed over to Jocelyn's prone form and Severus immediately cast several diagnostic spells. To his immense relief Jocelyn was still alive, but just barely. She needed to be brought to Poppy as soon as possible.

Albus seeing the results of the scans turned to Minerva. "Take this." He said holding out a small coin. "It's a portkey to the infirmary. Take Jocelyn and we will find Daylan."

Minerva hesitated for a spit second and then grabbed a hold of the coin. Several seconds later they were gone leaving an even more anxious Severus in their wake.

* * *

Daylan couldn't stop shaking. The bad man from his dreams was here, just like he said he would be. Daylan was afraid that he was going to take away his Daddy and Jocelyn just like he did his Mommy.

He had never been as scared as he was right then especially when the footsteps stopped in front of the desk.

Daylan could hear the man breathing and then he could hear him talking.

"I know your in here you little brat, and when I find you I'll finish the job I started four years ago." Voldemort hissed.

Daylan curled into a tighter ball and wished that someone would save him. Then before he could react the one thing that he had hoped wouldn't happen did.

The desk went flying through the air and his hiding spot was exposed. The man reached down and violently grabbed Daylan and brought him face to face with the monster that had terrified him for as long as he could remember.

"Did you really think that you could hide forever from Lord Voldemort?" The Dark Lord hissed at the animagus child. "Did you think that I wouldn't be able to find you in this form or even under a new name?!"

Daylan was terrified and did the only think that he could think of. He bit down as hard as he could on one of the arms that were holding him in the air.

Voldemort screamed and threw Daylan.

Daylan was free for a few seconds when he realized that he was going to hit the wall. He hit with a sickening thud and slid to the floor. Daylan was in so much pain he didn't see Voldemort coming toward him and when he did he realized that he couldn't move. He heard the man say something and then a blue light surrounded him making him back into a boy. Watching helplessly as the man walked toward him, Daylan could do nothing but stare.

Voldemort slowly raised his wand at the small child and let it rest were he knew the lighting bolt scar was hidden. "I want to watch as the light fades from your eyes as it should have before. Only this time your mother isn't here to sacrifice herself for you." He sneered at the child who had almost defeated him "Just two little words and you will get to meet your mother, but don't worry I'll be sending your traitorous Daddy to you as well."

Daylan could feel the tears slipping down his cheeks as the hope that someone would save him started to fade away.

Voldemort gripped his wand tighter and began the famous incantation. "Avada Kedavra!"

* * *

Severus burst through the door to his son's room just as the sickly green light engulfed his child. "NO!" he started to rush to his son but a huge burst of magical backlash sent him crashing to his knees. He looked up in time to see the killing curse rebound once again and hit the Dark Lord knocking him to the floor. The dark robed man didn't move.

Severus scrambled over to Daylan's still form and scooped him into his arms. Desperately feeling the little boys neck for a heartbeat he couldn't find, Severus then put his ear to his chest and there was nothing.

"No…no…no…" he sobbed. Pulling his son close to his chest Severus rocked back and forth whispering heartbrokenly for Daylan to wake up.

Albus quickly cast a containment ward around Voldemort's body and then rushed to Severus's side. He pulled the rocking man into his arms giving him his strength. And then Albus saw something that amazed him.

"Fear not Severus, I don't believe that it was Daylan's time to leave us."

Before Severus could say something to Albus for being cruel he felt the body in his arms shift and look up at him.

"_You came to save me!"_ Daylan whispered in his mind.

Severus couldn't believe what he was seeing. His son was alive after being hit with the killing curse, again. "Of course I came, I would go to the end of the world to make sure that you were safe." He replied as tears filled his eyes.

Daylan frowned. "_I can't hear you, Daddy_."

Severus frowned as well. "_Maybe your implant was damaged. We will get Poppy to look at it when we get you to the infirmary_."

It was then that Daylan remembered Jocelyn. "_Is Jocelyn ok, did that bad man hurt her_?" his face scrunched up as he tried to keep from crying.

Severus stood with Daylan still in his arms. "_Yes she did get hurt by she is with Poppy now so I imagine that she is probably anxious to see if we are alright."_ He then turned to Albus.

"What happens now?"

Albus knew what exactly Severus feared. "I will take care of everything. Daylan's role will not be mentioned. If it comes down to it I will claim responsibility for what has happened, but I think that it would be best if what happened today was never brought to the light of the public. They have lived with out the fear of Voldemort for the last four years, let them keep that." Albus knew that there was only one person that he could count on to take care of this and to keep it under wraps. "I will contact the head of the Unspeakables and have him come and take care of the loose ends."

Severus smiled. Only Albus could refer to the dead body of the Dark Lord as a loose end. "I am going to take him to Poppy and see how Jocelyn is. Then I am going to floo Lucius and tell him what has happened." Glancing back down at Daylan who was still wrapped tightly around his waist he headed toward the door.

* * *

As soon as he opened the door to the infirmary Minerva and Poppy both rushed him and questions started flying. Holding a hand up to stall the tidal wave of inquiries, Severus walked to the bed was Jocelyn was lying. Her eyes were closed but her cheeks were flushed with a healthy glow. Severus let out a relieved breath. He laid Daylan down on the bed next to her and Poppy rushed over.

"Poppy look at me," Severus made sure he had the matron's full attention. "Daylan was hit with the killing curse again and for about four minutes he was gone, but somehow he came back to us and started breathing on his own. He told me that he can't hear again and I fear that the backlash has disrupted the implant or worse damaged his ears further causing the implants to not work at all."

Poppy felt faint. "He survived it again?" how in the world this child was still alive after everything that he had been through in his few short years absolutely astounded her. "I'll run the diagnostics." She saw the world-weariness in Severus's eyes and felt that the poor man needed some good news.

"Jocelyn will be fine after she wakes up. Just a few cuts and bruises along with magical exhaustion, but nothing that a good night sleep won't cure."

Severus smiled, "That's good to hear. I need to go and make a floo call. I will return as soon as I can."

Poppy nodded and turned back to Daylan. "That's fine dear, I'll be right here to see what is going on with our special boy." She heard Severus close the door to her office and the floo flare to life.

Running her wand up and down over Daylan's body she saw that he had massive amounts of bruising on his back and right shoulder. Luckily she could see no damage to his spine and no broken bones. Now just to figure out what was going on with his hearing.

After several minutes of scans and examining the implant Poppy feared the worse.

Severus came back into the infirmary with Lucius Malfoy following closely behind. Lucius made a bee line for Jocelyn and Minerva and Severus headed back to Poppy.

"Well, how is he?" Severus asked as he ran his hands through Daylan's soft black hair. He could see that his son was valiantly trying to stay awake. "_Go to sleep little one and when you wake Jocelyn will be awake and waiting for you. I won't leave your side."_

Daylan yawned. "_Stay with me all night Daddy_."

Severus nodded his head and watched as Daylan closed his eyes and he fell into a much needed sleep. He turned his attention back to Poppy who was sitting next to Daylan's bed. He could see the tension in her eyes and he knew.

"It's permanent now isn't it?"

Poppy nodded.

Severus knew that Daylan would be heartbroken to learn that his hearing loss wasn't something that they could fix this time, but at least he still was able to speak to a select few in their minds. "How is he other than that?"

Poppy ran through the diagnostic charm and told him that there were no other complications from getting hit with the curse again. She left the man to come to terms with everything that had happened this evening and she her self was going to go and get a good night sleep.

Lucius came over to sit next to Severus. "Is it really over for good this time?"

Severus nodded his head and it was then that it truly sank in on how close he came to losing everything that he held close to his heart to Voldemort once again. "Now I suppose we can step out of the shadows and live life how we have always wanted to." He sighed and reached with a trembling hand to brush Daylan's hair out of his eyes. He looked up at the one person who has always been there for him. "You still are going to stand in as my Best Man, right?"

Lucius smiled. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, my friend. I don't think that I could get out of it either way between you and Jocelyn."

Severus chuckled. He thought that for the first time in over a decade he finally felt free. He was going to be able to look forward to the future without having to look over his shoulder at the past. Life would finally be worth living and he would make sure that he would live it to the best that he could, and no matter what obstacles stood in their way his family would get through it together.

The End.


End file.
